Found a fledgling - now what?

[Pidgey]

I've seen something like that on Cozumel. They're a dove that's about the size of a Robin!

Pidgey

[JoyfulSongTree]

Hi Caymania

That is great that you've been so observant and able to give such a wonderfully detailed report. It's especially a relief to know that the parent has fed Speedy :~)

If you scatter seeds, try to make them visible only from where Speedy and parent have been hanging out. At this point you don't want to attract any more birds from the sky, a crowd of which would in turn attract predators...

Providing a shallow ( one half inch deep ) source of water (again, not visible from the sky) for them to have access to first thing in the morning would make it easier for the parent to teach Speedy how to drink, too. Doves and pigeons suck up water like though a straw, by the way (unlike most other birds) but they do need to be taught and babies have been known to die of thirst during the weaning process.

If you keep Speedy overnight in a box ( it would be easy to catch him once it's dark -- they are extremely reluctant to fly at night ) you could let a few drops of water drip down Speedy's bill (below the nostrils) from a dropper or straw just to ensure that he's hydrated. He wouldn't need much as there was likely some water content in what the parent fed him. But there will be less crop milk ( moisture) and more seed in the mix now with every feeding so it's hard to tell sometimes... Humans can teach them to drink if necessary by holding their bill in a shallow dish of water for a second or two, again being careful that no water gets into the nostrils.

Best wishes and please keep us posted!

Carol...Member ADA and CDA

[Caymania]

Good morning all!
Speedy has left home and I'm feeling bereft!

I took Pidgey's advice and brought "that d*** bird" in (husband had to go out and get him in, juggling flashlight and baby bird). Gave him some water as Carol suggested, he drank quite a bit and boy was it easy! (I used to have a cockatiel years ago, and hated the way it could turn its head 360 degrees and take a chunk out of my thumb every single time I had to handle him).
Put him in a dark bathroom and he was out.

This morning I scattered some birdseed and put out a bowl of water. Then I put him outside in the box as he seemed sleepy. He woke up pretty quickly when he heard all the other birds singing, jumped up on the edge of the box and resumed his alert pose and preening/stretching exercises to limber himself up. No sign of parents.

Soon after that he wandered onto a perch, watching and listening and limbering up. And then I left my vigil for a few minutes and when I returned he was gone.
No signs of any scuffle, no parent bird hanging about, I've looked around very carefully several times since then, so I'm hoping that he and a parent are out practising how to do fly-by craps on tourists.

Am in the throes of empty-nest syndrome

[Reti]

He probably flew up in a tree where you can't see him or he flew away with his parents. I know it's so sad when they leave "home" but I am sure he will return to say "hi".

Reti

[Pidgey]

Well, you'll probably be okay. You never know, you might see him again someday when he's got a little one of his own to raise. Maybe even sooner, so keep an eye out. Ya' done good!

Pidgey

[Caymania]

Still no sign of Speedy, so I'm hoping he is fine. He'll probably come by one morning and crap into my coffee

Well, guys, thanks for all your fantastic help and support! I've learned a lot about pigeons, and hope to be back as a pigeon-keeper sometime in the near future. And I most definitely will recommend this website if I hear of anyone who has rescued a baby or just needs some pigeon info.

Thanks again!

[cyro51]

I hope he will pop by just to let you know he is OK. You gave him the best chance possible by protecting him from predators while allowing him to benefit from his parents' feeding and guidance.

BTW, we have another type of pigeon here on the island. It's local name is (I believe) the Cayman dove, its about half the size of this one, very small and shortlegged, kind of elegantly compact, brown in colour, they walk around like little wind-up toys. It could be the Common Ground Dove, not sure, I have to look at them more closely.

If you haven't found it already, this is a link to the pigeons and doves of the Cayman Islands.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...eons_and_Doves

Cynthia

[JoyfulSongTree]

Morning Folks ( I know tis afternoon for most of you...:~)

Caymania, good on you ! It is easy to miss them though isn't it, they wiggle into our hearts so quickly... That is very encouraging that he can drink on his own now and you are right -- young or weak doves are not as able to fly vertically, so it was a good sign that he was able to do this by the end of yesterday, too. I agree with Pidgey, you may just see your little Speedy again sooner than later, especially if you keep putting seed and water out there... and I've heard that it's good luck if they poop on you.

Pidgey, thanks for bringing me in on this one, I'm honored that you thought of me. I haven't been much up to even be lurking on PT lately, but I am always happy to help when I can!

Cynthia, what a good link! I love Wikipedia, but hadn't thought of using it that way...you just gave me a whole new resource

Best wishes all,

Carol Member...ADA and CDA

[cyro51]

I love Wikipedia, but hadn't thought of using it that way...you just gave me a whole new resource

I have only just discovered that facility myself. A lot of the birds that I have looked up don't have photos to match, which is a bit disappointing. But they will be added in time!

Cynthia

[JoyfulSongTree]

Originally Posted by cyro51

...A lot of the birds that I have looked up don't have photos to match, which is a bit disappointing. But they will be added in time!

Thanks, Cynthia, for the heads up re: the absence of some of the pics... Let's hope they'll be adding them soon ... In the meantime, I'll be appreciating that there are geographical lists available as leads to other pictorial resources -- I like using Google's "Images", but that's not at all efficient when I don't know what I'm looking for!

Best wishes

Carol...Member ADA and CDA