Miguel and Lee Montesino know pigeons.

The father-son duo have been breeding, raising, and training racing pigeons for years out of Montesino & Sons Tire Shop in Roxbury.

“It’s a big hobby,’’ said Lee. “It’s so awesome. You can leave your birds in New York and they can find their way home.’’

To train the pigeons, the Montesinos start out simple. For their first flight, they might drive to Milton, about two miles away from their heated loft at the tire shop, which has been in business on Blue Hill Avenue for about 33 years, and release the birds there.

The second trip might be to Brockton, said Lee, and later trips may be to Providence, New York City, even Cleveland.

Eventually, the birds become acclimated to finding their way home, he explained.

A key to the training?

Don’t feed them the day of the flight. They want food, said Lee, and they’ll find their way home to get it. When they do arrive home, Lee said, they should be rewarded with a meal.

Currently, the Montesinos have 12 pigeons. None of them have names, but instead are referred to by number, he said.

“We’re starting to get ready for competition,’’ said Lee. “I think we’re going to have a grand champion from here. Keep an eye out for that.’’

Danny McDonald can be reached at daniel.mcdonald@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @Danny__McDonald.