NEED HELP WITH FOUND PIGEON

[sers]

This pigeon looks fully grown, except it has no tail feathers and can't fly. How can I give it food and water? It is a young pigeon, but big, and fully feathered except for the tail. It's alert and was running on the ground in an alley. Very bright eyed and plumb. I want to take care of it, but it is big enough to be scared. What do I do to feed it?

[Trees Gray]

Hello and welcome to pigeons.com

Thank you for helping this bird.

Would you mind checking this thread and identifying the exact age of the bird? I'm just wondering if it is young and the tail hasn't grown, or young grown up with tail missing: I'm inclined to believe it is probably between 2 -3 weeks old....but lets make sure.

http://www.speedpigeon.com/baby_racing_pigeon.htm

For now provide a safe box or cage for the bird to sit in, out of harms way.
Make sure it is kept inside in quiet, warm room, with no air drafts.

[pdpbison]

Hi sers,


Thank you for helping this Bird...!


Missing Tail Feathers are often a sign of their having been caught or almost caught by a Dog. One often sees puncture wounds from the Dog's eye teeth, which may not noticably bleed. These will tend to be on their lower back, or, under their wing's sides or on the sides of the Bird's body under where the Wings cover it when they are folded. Their Feathers of course can hide such wounds.

So, check carefully to these areas...

If any such wounds, or signs of prior Dog attack, it would be best if the Bird may be on antibiotics for a while to help them fight off infections.

Fresh clean water every day in a small Bowl the Bird can reach into well to drink out of, and some good regular 'wild Bird Seed' as most Grocery Storess carry should be fine...and some Grit also in a little seperate bowl or 1 inch cut off bottom of a to-go cup.

Keep them on a white towell if you can which lets you see how their poops are.

If your home is air conditioned, make sure the Bird is out of any such drafts, and or also kept warm with an electric heating pad under the towell, set to 'low'...if in a cage, drape the sides and back of the cage, but leave the front undraped by day, so the Bird may see out.

Move slowly and positively when interacting with them...

Good luck...!

Phil
Las Vegas

[sers]

Theresa: I think the bird looks like the 3 mo old. Thanks to everyone else for ideas re feeding and watering. S/he is in a quiet place outside, protected, because s/he was living outside. I am thinking it not a good idea to bring it inside, where it has no experience. As long as it is protected, OK to leave outside? I would rather see the sky and trees, and ground if I were a foundling who had been used to seeing those things. But if there is a good reason to bring inside, I will. Today I will have a chance to more thoroughly examine the tail; no apparent injury, so maybe s/he did get "grabbed" by a predator as someone suggested. Thank you all.

[Trees Gray]

Thank you for helping this bird. If it is three months old it should be able to eat on its own. You can give the bird some wild bird seed and a bowl of water.

The bird cannot fly and escape a predator without its tail. You should bring it inside where it is safe from cats and hawks, where it has protection. Do you have a big cage you can put it in or a box? Please don't leave it outside.

If you need a rehabber here are a couple of sites to check:

http://www.pigeons.com/prd.htm

www.wildlifecare.org/list.html

[pdpbison]

Yahhhhh..bring her in, make her safe and comfortable and warm...

This is gunna be a six-week or so deal anyway, for you or someone, untill those Feathers grow back out. For which extreeeeee-nutritious and hi-protean feeds are a good idea...

These things are that way...

Too, please, inspect them c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y for any possible punctures, and or get them onto an antibiotic for good measure if you are unsure of really checking them throroughly for puncture wounds.



Phil
Las Vegas