Lone pigeon on a college campus - unable to fly

[Jamuko]

Hi~ I'm new around here, but a long-time bird lover. I currently live on a college campus located in the city, and so naturally there have been pigeons around, but one has me (and my suitemate) a little worried.

It was when I noticed a single pigeon returning to my dorm's courtyard alone that something struck me as unusual. He (well, we call him a boy :P ) was the only pigeon I've seen in that area, and the fact that he kept coming back and was never with another pigeon made me wonder. After keeping an eye on him for a while, I realized that he seemed unable to fly, which could be a reason for him to have been left behind from a flock. =( He can hop, which he does to get up stairs or through a gate, but he never flies.

I feel terrible for him because some students don't take so kindly to him like we do, and I've seen him being chased or shooed at by students on occasion. He is rather wary of people because of this. We've tried to give him food and water before, but he is too scared to take it unless we leave crumbs and stay far away from him.

Other than the sadness of being alone and unable to fly, he actually seems to be doing alright out there. He doesn't look skinny, and any injuries he may have aren't readily visible. He seems to find food well enough by hunting around the area (I have no idea where he's getting water, though). This is mainly why we've yet to call a shelter or try to take him in for help.

The other day we finally discovered where he roosts - under a stairwell next to the courtyard. Tonight we made a makeshift home for him and left it under there... a simple box shelter (no 'floor'). We lined it with cloth for a bit of insulation and cut an entryway for him (even wrote his name at the top like a doghouse - Pidgey :P ). We also left some cotton balls and bread for him. I don't know if he'll make use of the box, but here's hoping. (I'd feel bad if he didn't, especially because we placed it where his favorite spot seemed to be. ) He did eat some of the breadcrumbs once we left for a while.

He seems to be doing okay, but it's getting cold out there... and I'm worried about him. Do you think he'll be alright surviving the winter here on his own, or should we do something more about it?

Thanks for any help, and sorry for the long post.

[Reti]

Thank you for your concern and help for this pigeon.
Chances are he won't make it out there on his own for too long. It is miracle he survived until now in his condition.
Is it possible you can take him in for now?
Where are you located? Maybe we have members nearby who can help and take over his care.

Reti

[Jamuko]

Wow, really? =( I hope we can save him then...

Our college is in Richmond, VA. I could try to take him in, but not for too long because the dorm doesn't allow pets. I'd also feel bad since he'd probably be rather frightened if I did such a thing, but I suppose that's just something all pigeons have to face when being rescued.

Should I try to bring him in now? He'll probably be alright for the night at least, seeing as he has been for a while now, but if you think it's a good idea I'll do it. (I'll be away for a chunk of the day tomorrow though, so I'm not sure what I'd do with him then.)


EDIT: I really need to get some sleep, so I'm going to call it a night. With me leaving for much of tomorrow and being unable to watch over Pidgey during that time, I think it might put too much strain on him if I took him in now. I'll certainly bring him in tomorrow night though if that's what needs to be done. I've got a heating pad I could use, and that box home we made should do nicely for keeping him in temporarily.

[Reti]

Please, bring him in now. He is not safe out there if he cannot fly.
Even if you're not home most of the day he is still better off inside then outdoors.
You can place him in a box, keep him warm and offer him some water and seeds (bread is good as a filler, but it is not nutritious for a bird).

Reti

[kittypaws]

Hi Jamuko,

Thank you for caring about this little guy. Yes roosting under a stairwell is a sure sign that he can't fly up to a roost ( safe out of predators way).

As Reti, says bring him in - he sounds OK in himself if he is eating and drinking so can easily be left, in a box for periods of time with some food and water.

Regarding someone who can care for him in Virginia ( by the way I have visited Virginia, and I think its a great place....... ) there is a resources directory on this site that may have places in Virginia plus I know for a fact there are a couple of regular members who live in Virginia too who may be able to advise some places that you could take him.

Short term - get him in and I can assure you other members will be on later with more advice.

Regards

Tania xx

[AZWhitefeather]

Welcome Jamuko,
Thank you for your concern about this poor pij.

I just want to reiterate what Reti & Tania have said, "Please do bring the little one in where he is out of harm's way." Pigeons are very easy to care for.

Although he may look OK, other than he can't fly, he isn't OK. He is alerting all predators, two legged, four legged & clawed, that he is a easy catch.

Please do keep us posted.

Cindy

[Jamuko]

He's probably a little bit safer from predators here than he would be out in complete open, since the dorm area is closed off with gates and I've never seen a four-legged animal in here (of course, that doesn't mean a cat couldn't get in if he wanted to).

I will follow this advice and take him in! We are going to go buy him some things in a few minutes. Where do I find pigeon seed mix? Would they have that at a regular pet store or would I have to find a wildlife or bird specialty place?

Also, when I bring him in should I put him in a totally dark area, or should I give him access to an area that is lit as well?

[AZWhitefeather]

Originally Posted by Jamuko

He's probably a little bit safer from predators here than he would be out in complete open, since the dorm area is closed off with gates and I've never seen a four-legged animal in here (of course, that doesn't mean a cat couldn't get in if he wanted to).

I will follow this advice and take him in! We are going to go buy him some things in a few minutes. Where do I find pigeon seed mix? Would they have that at a regular pet store or would I have to find a wildlife or bird specialty place?

Also, when I bring him in should I put him in a totally dark area, or should I give him access to an area that is lit as well?

Many thanks for taking in this sweet pij Jamuko.

Perhaps there aren't any four legged predators around but from what you mentioned there are a few 'humans' that have displayed distasteful advances toward the poor bird.

I would suggest placing him in a towel lined adequate size box, animal carrier, small cage, etc., for the time being. We usually suggest a quite, dark area away from human & animal traffic initially.
Observe his behavior for signs illness or injury, e.g., 'fluffing' up, watery droppings, not eating or drinking. Once he is settled in, you might want to check the inside of his mouth for any obstruction. Also check his keel (breast) bone. There should be a good amount of muscles on both sides. A sharp keel bone is an indication of startvation.
Here is a link you might want to review & follow. As has been said, if the little fella is grounded, there is a reason.

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

You can pick up a good 'dove' mix at PetCo. As a temporary diet you can offer him a bit of wild bird seed.

Please let us know how things are coming along.
Any questions, please don't hesitate to post.

Thanks again for your kindness.

Cindy

[Victor]

Hi there Jamuko and suitemate~

I just read your post tonight...a bit late but would like to commend you two for helping this poor pigeon in need.

Were you able to secure him? How is Pidgey doing?

[Jamuko]

Phew! Today, what a day.

This morning we went to Petsmart and Target to find some things for him. Unfortunately we were unable to find dove mix (even Petsmart didn't have it; dunno if there is a PetCo nearby), so we had to settle for some wild bird seed. We also got him a few cheap towels, a food/water dish, a nice-sized box and newpapers.

At this point I ran out of time and was unable to retrieve him before leaving for the few hours I had planned, so I had to wait until afterwards to get him. This is when the day got worse... when I got back, he was not in his usual roost, and we couldn't find him anywhere in the courtyard either. (I suppose we might have scared him from that roost by checking on him somewhat often and giving him the box...) I was worried sick for him, and wishing I had brought him in earlier, especially with all the warnings from here about him not being safe. Well, after beating myself up over it for a while I decided to search the whole dorm area, and lo and behold, after looking in each and every stairwell and corner I finally found him asleep on a ledge I didn't even know existed. =)

I felt bad waking him from his peace, and had to be careful not to scare him into jumping off the ledge, but I managed to get him. He flapped a lot trying to get away and was very nervous... it was a little tough to grab him without bothering his wings too much (don't want to further any injury he may have). Once I had him close to me I kept him secure and tried to calm him down, which worked a little. Currently he is safe in his warm box, with a towel covering most of the opening to make him feel a little safer. I'm going to give him some food and water soon, once he feels more comfortable.

Needless to say, I am very relieved for now. I thought we might have lost our poor Pidgey.

Thank you all for your help on this matter. =) I'll keep you updated on Pidgey's status, and maybe we can figure out what to do with this little guy.

[Victor]

Great job securing Pidgey!

Wild bird seed is the closest to pigeon seed, so it will do fine. I do get my pigeon/dove mix from Pet co.

Your water dish I am sure it is deep. Pigeons suck their water in as we do from a straw.

It is good that he is safe and warm. He will be nervous not knowing your intentions. Pigeons warm up to people quick. Speak softly to him and don't make any unnecessary moves or handle it unless you have to.

Thanks again for making a difference between life and death for him.

[Jamuko]

Yay he seems to be doing alright; a little wary of us still but that is to be expected.

Hmm, I didn't know that about the water dish. The one we got is only an inch or so deep (we went for a wide and shallow one after reading that they are famous for tipping over their bowls). Is that enough depth, or should we give him a deeper one? Also, is regular tap water okay, or should we give him filtered water? Right now he has bottled water in there.

Another question: if we put a towel over the top of the box, would this make him feel safe, or trapped/afraid of unknown? I didn't know which would be better. Right now there is no towel so the box is open at the top, but we turned off all the lights. Hope he sleeps well. =)

I have been making sure to speak softly to him with no sudden movements. I also coo to him sometimes in that pigeonly way (somehow I can do this, and birds always seem to be intrigued by it, hehe ). I hope he is comforted by this and not threatened or something.

I will edit this post soon with a photo!

EDIT! Here's our Pidgey. =) Not too great a photo, but I didn't want to startle him so I turned the flash off.



You can see his left wing hanging down a bit. =( That must be the injured one. The box might look uncomfy in this pic, but not to worry, there is a heating pad on one side and a towel underneath all that newspaper.

[andinla]

to first say thank you for being so kind and helping the pigeon. A couple of things I wouldn't put a towel over the top of the box it may fall down over him. If you could get maybe a small screen to put over it.. but it doesn't sound like he would be flying out of it.

Also if you are going to be using a heating pad, cover it with a towel set on low, and make sure there is room in the box for the pigeon to walk off of the heat if he needs to, if you don't feel to much heat after 30 minutes you should set it on med heat, and then check it in 10 min to see how hot it is.

One more thing pigeons need grit to digest their food and should be available for him at all times. You should be able to purchase some at a local feed store/ petco's might have some.

I hope you find someone close by who can help you with his recovery.

Thanks again
Andi

[kittypaws]

Well done for catching him! That's half the battle.

Looking at the resources directory I could only see 3 in Virginia

USA VA Alexandria Todd Luongo 703-625-6983 tluongo@erols.com

USA VA Blacksburg Jackie Collins jackie@starlingtalk.com http://www.starlingtalk.com Very experienced but retired avian rehabber
(Starlings mainly I assume but may have contacts?)

USA VA Fairfax Potomac Valley Veterinary Hospital Dr. Rose Ann Fiskett 9553 Braddock Road 22032-2539 703-425-7387

I don't know whether PETA ( who are in Virginia?) have any contacts either. They may have - I have seen articles by them "bigging up" pigeons so they should have contacts I would think.

He probably needs to see a vet to establish what’s wrong, that is if you are not able to see yourself ( i.e. its not obvious) - there are plenty of members that have experience of rehabbing pigeons and giving advice once we can ascertain the nature of his problems,

Giving him warmth, shelter, food and water is a good start - he has been getting by living on your campus without help so this extra boost will definitely assist him on the road to recover.

Tania xx

[Reti]

Great job. I am glad the pigeons in now safe.
Has he eaten anything?
He looks healthy other than the hanging wing.

Reti