Can baby pigeon eventually be released?

[Sunny]

I recently rescued a "feral" pigeon and - from the reaction of family and friends - thought I was the only one in the world to think these birds worth saving; so I must say I felt much more normal once I found this site!

I found the pigeon clinging to a wire fence in inner city Brisbane (Australia), flapping its wings madly, squaking, and being watched closely by a crow. I couldn't believe the number of people who walked passed this obviously distressed bird.

I took him off the fence and placed him on the ground, and it was immediately obvious that he could not fly. By researching on the Internet, I identified that it is likely that he is a baby who somehow ended up out of the nest too soon. He is fully feathered but is still doesn't have feathers on the back of his neck or at the top underneath of his wings. I must say he looks pretty scrawny and pitiful!

I have followed all the instructions I have read about how to feed him, and in two weeks he has gone from needing hand feeding several times a day to just starting to pick up food himself. He's getting Granivore rearing mix, plus seed, grit and fresh water. I am a bit worried about his weight though - his breast bone is quite sharp and easy to feel.

He's starting to practise flying daily in my garage. I've also been spraying him daily with water so he builds up the water resistent powder.

My question is whether it will be safe to release him once he is more confident with eating and flying? The problem is that he seems to have imprinted on me, chasing me around flapping his wings and squarking for food. (It's really quite comical!) When he flies, he tries to land on my head or arm. He doesn't seem to have any real startle response. I'm concerned that he will fly up to anyone or not fly away if there is a predator.

I would be willing to give him a home if it's not possible to release him, but my real worry is that he will make me or my family sick. The shelters I spoke with when I found him said they would euthanise him because feral pigeons carry a lot of diseases. A vet also told me this. I'm particularly worried because I will be trying to have a baby soon. I'd like to get some unbiased advice about the real risks.

I've written enough now! Any thoughts on the above would be most gratefully received.

[philodice]

"I would be willing to give him a home if it's not possible to release him, but my real worry is that he will make me or my family sick. The shelters I spoke with when I found him said they would euthanise him because feral pigeons carry a lot of diseases. A vet also told me this. I'm particularly worried because I will be trying to have a baby soon. I'd like to get some unbiased advice about the real risks."

Wow. I didn't know VETS spread these lies, too!
The CDC has had absolutely NO reports of disease spread to humans from any pigeon. You may have to check this bird for pigeon lice and some other typical stuff, but there is nothing this bird can do (in general) to harm you or your pets.
Dr. Alex Bermudez, University of Missouri-Columbia College of Veterinary Medicine

"Problematic density [affecting human safety] is probably more determined by people getting their possessions defaced (pigeon poo).” “I’m not terribly worried about pigeons.”

Bill Kottkamp, Supervisor, Vector Control, St. Louis County Health Department

“We don’t see pigeon-related-disease problems...” “I don’t think they’re seeing them anywhere..." -

Larry Webert, R.S., Mohave County Environmental Health Division

"I am not aware of any reported cases of diseases that were transmitted by pigeons in Mohave County."

You will want to read this thread:
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=11919

And you will then want to read the nutrition and care thread:
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=5760

Don't worry if that seems a bit much, I don't treat my doves like rock stars, either.
As far as disease carrying, dirty animals, cats dogs and humans out-do pigeons on a daily basis.

[philodice]

And...Thank you for being such a kind heart!

[Sunny]

Wow, thank you Philodice. This information looks very helpful. I'll go and check it out now. Maybe I can do away with the mask and gloves now ;-)

[Charis]

Originally Posted by Sunny

Wow, thank you Philodice. This information looks very helpful. I'll go and check it out now. Maybe I can do away with the mask and gloves now ;-)

Yes, I think it would be safe to throw away the gloves and mask. Pigeons make wonderful companions and anyone that tells you otherwise is simply and idiot. There's sure a lot of idiots about.

[Trees Gray]

Hi Sunny,

Thanks for taking such wonderful care of this bird.

If he is healthy, he will bathe on his own, just put a clean cat litter type box with water on the floor, in a warm and sunny place, and see if he will bathe on his own, he mostly likely will surprise you and bathe, if he is feeling good.

Pigeons carry no more diseases then any other bird, and most of them are not contageous to humans.

[cyro51]

Maybe I can do away with the mask and gloves now ;-)

LOL. A friend of mine took his first rescue squeaker to the vet and asked whether he should wear a mask and gloves. The vet said "Sure, and why would you want to do that?". My friend explained that he didn't want to catch any diseases and the vet looked surprised and said "And what diseases would you be thinking you can catch from a pigeon?"

But I think that we all go thopugh the stage of thinking our first rescue is a bomb that is about to explode.

Cynthia

[Sunny]

Great - thanks Treesa and Charis. That is comforting to know. I will have to set about the process of reading some more and trying to educate others. Reading the release criteria from the link provided by Philodice, I don't think Piji is going to be a good candidate for release. So, I guess I might be stuck with him!
I am going to have to sweet-talk my family in to taking care of the "diseased" little bird while I go on my honemoon soon. Wish me luck!

[Sunny]

Cynthia, I'm pretty sure I would have done the same as your friend! I'll have to relax a little I guess....he's doing his best to win me over with his cute ways.

[nikku-chan]

hehe...yes..i kiss my little feral pigeon now on top of her head. She smells so sweet and clean. I'm pretty sure she'd be more likely to catch a disease from a dirty human, than the other way around

Before, i realised this though, i would wash any part of myself that came into contact with her vigorously, and then still felt "dirty".

If the pigeon has started flying now, it is harder, but if you would prefer to release him, you could always take him in a big cage, out somewhere where there is a feral flock, and scatter seeds around in her cage as well as outside, and let him graze with the flock...it will take alot of time and patience though...there was a thread about it just recently. Apparently it takes 10 or more times for the pigeon to actually be ready. The idea is that it will learn flock behavior and eventually feel a part of the flock, and then one day, you take the cage away, and when the flock flies away, it should fly away with them.

Otherwise, releasing when there isn't a flock it feels comfortable with, it may not be confident enough to actually join a flock, and perish on its own, because it won't have an models on which to base its behaviour and will have trouble understanding where to find food/water, and what predators to fly away from. Pigeons are much safer in flocks, too.

I went through the same dilemma that you are going through now, and i ended up keeping my pigeon. She is beautiful and i am glad i did. Pigeons only live up to 2 or 3 years in the wild, but live up to 15 years in captivity. That is why i decided to keep her. Another reason was that i couldn't bare to not know where she was or how she was or if she needed my help. I just couldn't bring myself to release her :P

There are both pros and cons to keeping/releasing the pigeon though...you just have to weigh them up.

Is he actually eating the seeds, or just picking them up and dropping them again? If he feels thin, maybe give him more granivore to supplement while he is getting used to seeds. Or you could mix some white safflower seeds into his other seeds (not heaps, just a little), because they're quite fattening. That is how i fattened my little Pecky up when she was thin

Does he still have little yellow strands of fluff ontop of his head?