Need help with hawk victim

[tralfaz]

Hi, I'm tralfaz and this is my first post. I have a pigeon that was scalped by a hawk. His head has healed but I'm afraid he has some brain damage. He's fine walking around but I don't think he can be released. I've had lots of feral pigeons but they almost always recover and go their own way. Can anyone help me find someone in the Chicago area [100 miles or so] that could give him/her a home. I would gladly drop him off if someone could take him permanently. I really can't keep a loft where I live. I named him "beanie" [because of the scar] but I don't think he'd mind if it was changed! Thanks!
P.S. I'm pretty computer illiterate so please be patient.

[Charis]

Try Broken Wing Sancuary located in MInnesota. Email address is.....
tallship30@yahoo.com

[Pidgey]

We have a member in Chicago. I'll have to email him, though, and I expect it's long past his bedtime.

Pidgey

[Pidgey]

I both emailed and PMed Grimaldy, a friend in Chicago. Hopefully, he'll get in touch tomorrow to this thread.

Pidgey

[Grimaldy]

Hi tralfaz,

Where are you in the Chicago area?
I have two cripples now who may or may never be released, who could probably use some company.
Come up on the PM board.

[Grimaldy]

Hi pidgey,

I made contact with tralfaz and we talked. It seems that the bird was attacked by a sharp-shinned hawk that could not get its talons in so it tried to kill the pigeon by taking its head off. Tralfaz reports no puncture wounds on the bird, just a lot of skin torn off the head, which has pretty well healed.

He has made some checks on the bird's vision and says that it seems to be able to see from both sides; that it can fly pretty well except for two peculiarities. When he releases it from inside his garage, it tends to depart in a right-hand turn and when it lands it seems unable to support its weight initially on both legs so that it extends a wing for support. It is able to run around the floor on both feet with no trouble and it can perch on a window ledge.

My suspicion is there is some residual nerve damage, possibly to the supracoracoideus muscle, possibly to the leg at the dorsal root. But since it is otherwise in good shape I suggested to tralfaz he consider releasing it to the flock it came in with. It is a suburban pigeon and its flock regularly visits talfaz for food, along with a couple of others. It turns out tralfaz has been taking care of lost and helpless pigeons for about 5 or 6 years now.

Any comments or suggestions?

[feralpigeon]

If a pigeon has residual health issues from an incident, I don't like releasing
it as they will become "Target Bird" all over again. Some injuries take more
time to heal and perhaps holding onto the bird will clear up the remaining
health issues. If no room is available to do this, then sending the bird to
Arty as Charis suggested would be the safest thing to do for the bird's
sake.

tallship30@yahoo.com

fp

[Charis]

Originally Posted by Grimaldy

Hi pidgey,

I made contact with tralfaz and we talked. It seems that the bird was attacked by a sharp-shinned hawk that could not get its talons in so it tried to kill the pigeon by taking its head off. Tralfaz reports no puncture wounds on the bird, just a lot of skin torn off the head, which has pretty well healed.

He has made some checks on the bird's vision and says that it seems to be able to see from both sides; that it can fly pretty well except for two peculiarities. When he releases it from inside his garage, it tends to depart in a right-hand turn and when it lands it seems unable to support its weight initially on both legs so that it extends a wing for support. It is able to run around the floor on both feet with no trouble and it can perch on a window ledge.

My suspicion is there is some residual nerve damage, possibly to the supracoracoideus muscle, possibly to the leg at the dorsal root. But since it is otherwise in good shape I suggested to tralfaz he consider releasing it to the flock it came in with. It is a suburban pigeon and its flock regularly visits talfaz for food, along with a couple of others. It turns out tralfaz has been taking care of lost and helpless pigeons for about 5 or 6 years now.

Any comments or suggestions?

For what it's worth, I agree with feralpigeon agreeing with me!
Seriously, this bird won't survive for long if released back into the wild. JMPO

[KIPPY]

For what it's worth, I agree with feralpigeon agreeing with me!
Seriously, this bird won't survive for long if released back into the wild. JMPO

I agree with the both of you.

Sounds like an easy target.

[Grimaldy]

Tralfaz feels somewhat the same way, that is why he contacted us. We left our discussion with the thought that tralfaz would exercise the bird inside his garage for a week or so and see whether or not its quirky departure and landing habits improved. Presently it is able to see and fly well enough to believe there should be little risk as an obvious cripple and a quick target. Predatory hawks are a part of suburban bird life and keeping the pigeon locked up does nothing to help return it to the wild where it belongs. If it is able to return to its own flock and keep up with them, it seems to me that is all that can be reasonably expected.

In any event I still have not heard from Pidgey, whose advice I respect, and tralfaz certain has had enough experience with pigeons to make up his own mind about the best interests for the bird. I am still willing to take it if that is what he decides.

[Charis]

The link I provided for a place for this bird, may not be the best choice as he keeps only fancy birds and does release the ferals. I posted that link before Grimaldy offered to take the bird, which would be wonderful.

[Pidgey]

Oh, sorry! I missed following up on this one altogether!

Me, I'd have to worry that something was wrong and needed time to mend. So, one way or another, I'd keep this bird and give it more time to strengthen and heal before release. That sounds like an odd symptom.

Pidgey

[EgypSwiftLady]

I will offer my home if one is needed, I live very close to the WI/IL. state line much closer than MN.