Injured pigeon in Denver

[Denverite]

Hi all,

I just brought in a pigeon that I'd been noticing under the same cars in the same parking spot in the lot outside for about 2 days. He was completely unafraid of me when I approached him the first time to shoo him away so I didn't run over him parking my car, then the next morning as I backed out he was there again. At lunch today he was in the same spot and same when I got home from work, so I went out and caught him with a towel. I think it was getting pretty close to him getting hit by a car or eaten by a cat, judging by how long he'd been out there.

He can walk but definitely can't fly. He seems pretty agitated that I caught him as he's been trying to hop out of the box he's in and even got his head stuck in the oven shelf I was using as a box top. He's now in my bathtub with a cardboard box to sit in, a towel and a warm water bottle. He has water and some soggy puppy food (haven't gotten to the store for bird seed yet) and I've seen him drinking but not eating.

So....now what? I don't want him to get eaten by a cat but I also don't really want him to live with me permanently, so is there anything I can do to get him flying and out on his own again? Is there anyone in Colorado or in the Denver area out there who could take him and knows what to do with him? Ideas anyone?

Thanks!!

[sdreamcatcher@g]

there may be someone in lakewood; shes known as the bird lady. i know denver animal control will kill pigeons they receive. where in denver are you?

[Pidgey]

Well, it's possible that the bird will eat heartily when given the food. You can, in a pinch, use puppy chow bits although you might break them up smaller depending on the size--they should be about the size of peas. He would probably prefer them dry, though. He may very well not recognize them as food and so you may have to force-feed him a few to get him started on them.

As to why he's not flying, he might be injured, have worms or an infection of some sort. If you could feel his keel and describe it, it might be helpful. I have gotten banded racers that were fully fleshed and the only thing I could determine was that they had Coccidiosis by a microscopic examination of their poops. When I cured that, they could fly just fine.

Anyhow, when you feel his keel, it might be like a "T" or a "V" or a "U". The keel is a meat-cleever shaped bone that runs down the middle of their chest and the breast muscles attach to it. It's the protruding sharp edge of is that makes the bottom centerline of the three letters listed above. If it's like a "T", that means there's a protruding bone that you can literally pinch and hold with your fingers. In such a case, the muscle tissue is emaciated down for one reason or another. If it's a "V", then he's not emaciated but he certainly hasn't been overdoing it at the table, either. If it's full of breast muscle and you can barely discern that he's got a keel bone, he's a porker.

There are many reasons why they can get in bad shape, including everything from being a young one that's run out of luck before he's figured out how to live to an old bird who can't make it any more. If you can get back with us and describe him a little better, we figure out how to proceed.

Pidgey

[Denverite]

Ok well to answer the first reply, I am in the Tech Center. It's down south (near Park Meadows Mall), but I'd be more than willing to drive to Lakewood to meet this Bird Lady.

Now I'll try to describe him better. From what I can tell, he's just a run of the mill gray pigeon. He has some of those pink iridescent feathers, but I haven't noticed a leg band thing so I think he's feral. I bought some "dove food" at Petsmart tonight and so far he's not been interested in it or the dog food. It's in there and I left him alone so hopefully he'll try some. Like I said, he has been drinking water ok. He'll even drink when I stick the little water bowl right up in his face. I think he's full grown. His beak isn't pink (it's gray) and I don't see any downy type feathers. He really really doesn't like it when I get close though so I haven't poked or prodded him at all. I've tried to gently stroke his back feathers to get him more used to me, but he still is really antsy. Force feeding him sounds daunting...! His poo is green liquid, so I know he's hungry. Looks like he's been peeing too...little quarter sized puddles of yellow? Do birds pee? I will do my best to feel for the keel. Even though apparently their pecking doesn't hurt...it still makes me jump. =P

[Pidgey]

Well, here is a thread on tube feeding. You can adapt the handling portion so that you can get some puppy chow bits down him:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=16235

If he puts up too much of a fight then wrap him in a towel to make a pigeon burrito. They can go days without eating but it's been that by now. It's highly possible that he's a fledgling that doesn't know how to eat yet. I'd try to get about a teaspoon of puppy chow bits down him for the first run. Do the ceres (at the base of the upper beak) look like they've ever been stark white or do they look fairly smooth and still headed that way?

Pidgey

[Trees Gray]

Hello and thank you for helping this bird.

Please follow guidelines on this link:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=8822


Here are some resourced you can check out to finding help:

http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contactA.htm#co

http://www.pigeon-life.net/prd.htm

[Denverite]

Good news! Well, #1, Pigeon was still alive this morning and #2, I found a rehab sanctuary in Longmont which will take him. He's going today after work. =) Thanks for all your help!

[Reti]

That is great news. Thank you so much for all you did for this little one.

Reti