Catching "string injured" city centre feral pigeons

[cyro51]

I wish people would finally come to realize that peanuts whether raw or roasted, are dangerous to birds. Aflatoxin is the poison produced by aspergillus and one infected peanut in a batch is enough to kill birds

Not everyone is a s stupid as you appear to imply, PP. Anything that has been poorly stored is dangerous to feed birds, including maize which can also be infected by aflatoxin. In fact I believe that all grains can be affected.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aflatoxin

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has been in existence for years and are the bird experts in the UK. They recommend peanuts...in fact they sell peanuts that are suitable for birds. That is why we use aflatoxin free peanuts.

Cynthia

[alvin]

Thanks Cynthia. I can stop using ham sandwiches now. Pijies don't seem to like them, no matter how much mayo I put on them.

[cyro51]

Thanks Cynthia. I can stop using ham sandwiches now. Pijies don't seem to like them, no matter how much mayo I put on them.

That's because they are afraid of catching trichinosis.

Cynthia

[pigeonperson]

Cynthia,
I'm not calling anyone stupid. Maybe the food standards are higher where you are but I've yet to see a package of peanuts in a store that is labeled aflatoxin free and frankly, the packages of peanuts that I do see don't look so great.
I know what I'm talking about for my neck of the woods and am relieved to hear that you can get them. You can't assume that the standards of food are the same everywhere and I would rather not use them at all than to take a chance.

[alvin]

Well you learned something today; If you can't get aflatoxin free peanuts
DON'T TRY HAM SANDWICHES

The Pijies ignore you, and people look at you funny.


Trust me.

I know.

[cyro51]

Alvin, it's a pig eat pig world! Of course the pigeons ignore you! But I would have expected some of the people to take advantage.

Cynthia

[alvin]

After all the work I did cutting off the crusts and everything..(ungrateful buggers)

[cyro51]

ungrateful buggers

__________________


The people or the pigeons?

Pethaps you should try Quorn... or corn. I love Quorn!

Cynthia

[xxmoxiexx]

peanuts? i didnt know they were bad to feed to pigeons. thats the only way i can catch some injured's, coaxing them with peanuts.

[AZWhitefeather]

Originally Posted by xxmoxiexx

peanuts? i didnt know they were bad to feed to pigeons. thats the only way i can catch some injured's, coaxing them with peanuts.

I don't recall it ever being an issue Moxie, as long as they are given sparingly. And only raw peanuts.

Cindy

[xxmoxiexx]

i buy raw peanuts for the squirrells around here, but i've only seen shelled raw peanuts? Do they sell unshelled raw peanuts? I know a guy downtown that feeds roasted peanuts all the time to them.

[AZWhitefeather]

Originally Posted by xxmoxiexx

i buy raw peanuts for the squirrells around here, but i've only seen shelled raw peanuts?

Do they sell unshelled raw peanuts?

I know a guy downtown that feeds roasted peanuts all the time to them.

That I don't know Moxie. My guys don't care so much for peanuts so I don't buy them.

Perhaps a health food store has them unshelled.

Cindy

[goulian]

Hi All,

In the feral flock that I have adopted I have had the opportunity to remove string from three of the birds. Fortunately, the string was loose enough that no damage to the bird's feet had been done. I carry a pair of small scissors and a small tweezers just in case I spot a bird in need. Catching the pigeon has been, so far, very easy for me. I just drop a pile of grain at my feet so as to not scatter it around and when the birds dive in for it, I reach down and pick up the affected bird. They get in such a pile up that it could not get away even if saw me reaching for it. It has worked three times so far. Lucky for me and the pigeons, I guess.