I moved an injured bird-- can I get sick?

[Delia]

Ello--

I was waiting for a bus this morning when I saw a pigeon come zooming into the street. It hit the side of a car-- and was stunned. It was fine, but it didn't get enough altitude to escape a car behind that initial car.

The bird was injured pretty badly (I suspect it will be a fatal injury), but it was still trying to get out of the street. I ended up picking up the bird with my bare hands and moving it to a spot under a tree so it at least wouldn't sit in the street panicking. I probabaly won't know what had become of the little guy because I had to take the bus to class, but I was heartbroken.

The bird wasn't bleeding, and I had it in my hands for no more than 10 seconds and afterwards, I immediately wiped my hands down with a baby wipe, and 10 minutes later, I was able to wash my hands multiple times with soap and water.

I've handled injured pigeons before back home, but you know, I'm paranoid. Is there anything I can catch from handling a wild city pigeon with my bare hands or am I probabaly going to be fine?

[flitsnowzoom]

Delia, welcome to Pigeon-Talk.
Thanks for trying to get this bird to safety. Perhaps you can go by the area later and see if it's still there.
General good handwashing practices should be all that is necessary after handling a bird, any bird. Pigeons are not very good hosts for diseases that can be transmitted readily to humans, so for most folk unless you are already allergic to bird dander, feathers, or have a severely compromised immune system you should be fine.

[Delia]

Originally Posted by flitsnowzoom

Delia, welcome to Pigeon-Talk.
Thanks for trying to get this bird to safety. Perhaps you can go by the area later and see if it's still there.
General good handwashing practices should be all that is necessary after handling a bird, any bird. Pigeons are not very good hosts for diseases that can be transmitted readily to humans, so for most folk unless you are already allergic to bird dander, feathers, or have a severely compromised immune system you should be fine.

Thank you so much for the reassurance. I was just worried because of the general rap that pigeons get for being 'dirty'. I'd handled pigeons before but that was back home years ago.

I felt so bad when I saw what happened. I know things probabaly won't turn out well for him, but I didn't want it to get any worse on the street. I'll see if he's still there tonight when I go back that way.

Again, thank you so much for putting my mind at ease!

[TAWhatley]

Hi Delia and welcome! Thanks so much for assisting this pigeon. Could you post back the location where you placed the bird? We may have another member in the area that could go have a look for the bird.

Terry

[flitsnowzoom]

You might post the location of this bird -- sometimes we have folks in the area that can swing by and look. Not many people on online right now, but you never know, we might get lucky.

If you are able, take a pigeon-sized box or something that could help you hold the bird (even a small towel) with you on the way home tonight. That way, should the bird still be there and alive, you can bring him home, take him to a rehabber, or/ and get some good advice from folks here on Pigeon-Talk.

As for the "bad" rap.
People like to talk bad about things they don't understand. Birds are dirty -- why, because they poop more frequently than cats or dogs, they scatter feathers and down (duh, we shed skin cells and hair all the time -- how do people think a scent dog can follow a person's trail), and most importantly (I think) we can't really control where a bird flies. People really love CONTROL! (me too )

[Delia]

He is located in San Francisco, California

The intersection is Fillmore Street and Mcallister

The tree where I left the pigeon is across the street from the bus stop for the inbound #5 bus

The tree is coming up through an opening in the sidewalk. This was a little past 7am PST so he may or may not still be there.

Unfortunately, I will be in class all day and If he's still there tonight, I won't be able to take him in because I live in school-sponsored housing.

[flitsnowzoom]

Well, we happen to have a member in SF who I will pm. I don't know if the bird is anywhere near where they are in the daytime, but it's worth a shot.

Don't break the rules but if we can link you up with this person, perhaps you could meet and arrange a transfer. Just make sure that the contact info is correct for you on your registration that you made to post here so there's a way to reach you. You can also private message Terry or me your phone # so this person could have an alternate way of contacting you besides email.

[Delia]

Originally Posted by flitsnowzoom

Well, we happen to have a member in SF who I will pm. I don't know if the bird is anywhere near where they are in the daytime, but it's worth a shot.

Don't break the rules but if we can link you up with this person, perhaps you could meet and arrange a transfer. Just make sure that the contact info is correct for you on your registration that you made to post here so there's a way to reach you. You can also private message Terry or me your phone # so this person could have an alternate way of contacting you besides email.

I wont be able to transfer the bird because it's not in my posession, but if you give the location I posted-- thats where I last saw the bird. It's not a massive intersection.

E-mail is pretty much the only way to contact me, but I will be checking back here regularly.

[Delia]

Hi--

I rode the bus past the area and got a look around and the bird is no longer there, and there is no sign of it in the area.

Im hoping something fortunate happened for this little guy.

[flitsnowzoom]

Hi Delia -- thanks for checking up on him. It's good news to know he was no longer there. Perhaps he was only a bit loopy or another kind soul was able to take him to help. We really appreciate you rescuing him from a certain death out there and putting him where someone else could get him safely. Hope you stick around here.

[Delia]

Thanks--

Hopefully He's doing better.

I shall have to see if I still have some old photography of mine to share with you guys-- I know I took a few photos of pigeons a whileback.

[flitsnowzoom]

We LOVE pictures!

[Delia]

Originally Posted by flitsnowzoom

Hi Delia -- thanks for checking up on him. It's good news to know he was no longer there. Perhaps he was only a bit loopy or another kind soul was able to take him to help. We really appreciate you rescuing him from a certain death out there and putting him where someone else could get him safely. Hope you stick around here.

Originally Posted by flitsnowzoom

We LOVE pictures!

I shall post some in a fitting thread

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=22682

[maryjane]

Hi Delia, thanks for helping out that poor little guy. Don't worry about pigeon germs, as was mentioned it only takes a good soap-and-water washing to take care of it. I am less than an hour away from SF and we do have a couple members in SF...I know how many ferals there are to come across there (I have many myself taken from there in poor health lol). If you find an obvious pet, or one in need, you can always check here first; if no one in SF can help, I can always meet you to take one if you need. Just throwing it out there for future reference. Also, the Animal Care and Control will take healthy pigeons and they are a no-kill shelter (I used to rescue for them often). Hope the pigeon made it, thanks again for looking out for him.