advice for novice pigeon guardian

[SFpigeon]

Can't believe I'm posting to a pigeon group (no insult intended), but I have been pulled into the world of pigeons as the result of a couple of birds who have taken up residence in my light well. I live in San Francisco and if you aren't familiar with the "light well" set up, it is basically a narrow, deep space that allows interior windows in multi-story buildings to get some light. For 3-4 weeks this couple has been hanging out around the light well, perching on window ledges, etc. I figured they'd be making a nest soon, and they have ...at the bottom of the light well (with an egg appearing as of yesterday). This concerns me for a couple reasons. A. because it accumulates water when it rains (which it did just a couple weeks ago) and B. it would be very difficult to fly out of. I guess B. is my biggest concern, as I can't image how a baby bird is going to get out of there. it is a space about 9' x 6' wide and about 30' deep. The adult birds do a really amazing sort of perfectly vertical assent (which I didn't even realize was possible)...but babies? I guess I'm asking in case I need to prepare myself for a bad scene of a baby pigeon injuring itself trying to get out of there.

[Reti]

Welcome to the world of pigeons.
And thank you for your concern for the future baby.
The baby will be able to get out the same way the parents go in and out, probably. But you are right, it is not a good location, the baby could get injured.
My concern right now would be the water accumulating which can kill the egg/embryo and worse it could drown the baby after it is hatched.

Is it possible you could remove the egg? BTW, a second one will be laid today or tomorrow. You could just remove both eggs right after the second one is laid. At this point there is no embryo developing yet, so you are not killing anything. Remove the eggs and discard them. The pigeons will seek another location to make their nest, hopefully in a better location.

Reti

[JGregg]

Yep. I know exactly what you're talking about as far as "light wells". When I lived in San Francisco (I've moved a little ways away) I had a light well in front of my apartment. And a pigeon couple moved in and raised babies in the light well (also called air shafts) in the exact same situation as you have. There where no problems with the babies,and they were lots of fun to watch.

If there is too much water then the eggs will not be able to exchange gasses (breathe) and they’ll die. If not then the pair will be successful and have chicks. But, I wouldn’t worry too much the eggs may be infertile, you just don’t know at this point. While the egg moving idea is nice it just isn't practical, that is unless you're into urban rock climbing.

Anyways, the pigeons have a better grasp of what a good nesting site is than the rest of us!

I’d worry about an injured baby if and when the time comes.

Thank you for being concerned for the welfare of the pigeons which share the city with you.

[feralpigeon]

Of course, one problem could be, that they may continue to use that spot. If so, eventually, they'll collide w/our rainy season. If you enjoy their presence, you could maybe put something appealing to nest with in the shaft or on your sill, and if you don't, remove the eggs and ask the owner to net off the top of
the shaft.

Good Luck

fp

[JGregg]

The air shaft sounds like it has sufficent space, it's got the same size as the one I used to live around.

Please, please do not involve the owner of the building or the manager in the doings of your local pigeons unless you are sure they will not resort to lethal means (like poisoning). Even if they just "evict" the pigeons any babies that they find will end up with rung necks (if they're lucky) or tossed in the trash can. They'll be looking for any pigeons in the building, not just "yours".

One of my pigeons was "evicted" from his nest for a cleaning project of the owners association for the condo my family used to live in but was lucky enough to land a home with me.

Yes, they really do throw the baby pigeons in trash cans. Several members here have babies they found in trash cans.

[feralpigeon]

Let me clean up my post here. I wasn't thinking of you moving the current nest, but rather, putting an additional spot that might attract them in the future to a higher location in the lightwell. If you prefer the birds not to nest at
all, and you remove the eggs, not waiting for them to develop and/or hatch, you might consider having the landlord net the lightwell. If you know the person who does the building maintenance and they have a humane approach
to all urban dwellers, this may be fine. If the owner just contracts things out
to whomever, you might consider purchasing the netting and installing yourself after:
1. The eggs are removed
2. The babies are grown and able to fly out on their own.
3. There are no pigeons currently in the shaft, adults or otherwise.

If they are nesting directily on floor of lightwell, I would be concerned about rodents also occupying the space esp. rats. Rats will chew away @ concrete
foundations and bore through. We had an unbelievable problem w/this @ one
of our buildings. Anyway, JGregg is correct in her concerns about how the
owner's response would effect the pigeons and you will have to be the judge
of that.

fp

[minimonkey]

I never, ever thought I would be posting to a pigeon group, either! But, here I am, posting away, pics and all. I'm in the midst of a very ugly battle with our building owner, who is hell-bent on destroying our lovely flock of ferals outside. As a result, I've taken in two lovely squabs who are resting in a temporary nest of my coffee table (I'm in Oakland, used to be a SFer) It is so interesting to watch the nesting and growing process! We lost the first nest outside our window to rain but the second one hatched two lovely babies -- I rallied for them when they weren't hatched yet -- and now the manager is all set to destroy everything. Hence, my savelings. I'd suggest, given my experience, that you not alert your landlord unless he or she is a very humane person.

Thanks for caring for your neighbor birds! I'll hope the rain holds off, and you get to see them grow and prosper.

[feralpigeon]

I was just concerned as I have removed one dead and one injured from lightwell
since January of this year.

fp