New problem... abandoned babies?

[MellissaG]

So I wrote this letter in an email to a fellow forum reader who is local, in hopes to get some ideas.. but incase anyone else lives near by or has any ideas.. i am going to copy and paste what I sent to her in regards to the situation.
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Yesterday I was excited to see that my neighbors have a pair of baby pigeons about the same age as the ones on my balcony as well (maybe younger... definetely smaller, though), and was suprised to see them running around back and forth between their balcony and mine, with 2 sets of parents arguing over whos was whos.

I guided the two visitors back over to where their balcony was, and their parents ever so angrily pushed them back in to where their nesting area was, but there was a lot of commotion going on. It didnt hit me until today, watching them -- theyve been kicked out of the nest I fear too early.

About 30 minutes ago they were outside my balcony door, I opened it slightly adn my cat peeked out..scaring them all back to their side -- but ive been watching them, and they are huddling together in the middle of the pavement on the balcony -- and the parents, attending back to their nest...I believe, theyve laid their 2nd set of eggs.

I could take these babies in, but I went over to my neighbors to let her know what was going on and she mentioned she might be calling pest control this week.

Id like to rehome the pigeons and their babies, but I wouldnt know what to do with them. Any ideas?

BTW,in regards to the abandoned babies, the parents have progressed to pecking at their heads.. and if they try and inch their way back to what was their nest, the parents go crazy fending them off. Very sad

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The babies I have on my balcony should be leaving home any day now, they are at least twice the size of the ones that are on my neighbors balcony that are stranded!

I put another box out and cut out a side for them to crawl in to for shelter, with some towels inside... but I have no way to get them in there without going to my neighbors side, and she isnt home right now any longer.

Ahhhhhhh! Pigeon problems...

[Reti]

The biggest problem would be the pest control. And then the pecking parents, especially if they don't feed the babies anymore. The you have the eggs.

I would try to get the babies and take them in and feed them.
Also, if you see the neighbor, try to get to the nest, remove the eggs, candle them and if no embryos are formed discard them. Destroy the nest and hopefully the parents will look for another place to make a new nest.
Sorry, I have no better advice right now.

Reti

[MellissaG]

I have my window open to listen for when any of the parents are feeding the babies, and I hear the squeeking...

It DOES seem that the parents are occasionally feeding ONE of the abandoned babies, the bigger one! The one that is nearly half his siblings size just sits there -- looks very cold. I tried sprinkling all sorts of crumbs of different types of things for them, but they have no interest. Theyve been run over to my side of the balcony quite a few times, I guess I can only hope they do it again before its too late so I can take the little one in

[Reti]

I hope they come over to your balcony again soon.
Seems like the little one needs some food urgent.
Thank you for keeping an eye on them.

Reti

[Trees Gray]

Thank you for your care and concern.

You should try to secure the babies and eggs, as Reti mentioned. Reti has been thru it all.

Raise them and relocate them to another area where feral pigeons are thriving, and they are in no danger.

[Lady Tarheel]

I'll just throw this observation in for what it is worth,

Last spring when we had so many babies born in the aviary, we noticed that as soon as the babies were able to toddle around, they would all get together in a little pile. We would put them back in their own nests and before you got out the door, they were hightailing it back to the others.

We noticed that each parent fed the babies even when they were grouped together. Some parents would feed several babies - not just their own. It was like a pigeon "village".

We never had any head pecking or abuse so I don't know what is going on with yours, however, you need to keep a close eye on them and act quickly to bring one or all in if it appears they are not being fed. Babies can go downhill quickly.

[MellissaG]

I couldnt get the babies last night. I just went out to check on them, and they are still huddling in the same spot... and the littlest of the two still seems to be okay. (Other than some plucking I can see on both of them from the adults when they tried to go back in to the nest yesterday.)




In this picture I tried to take (with my cellphone) You can see the two babies, snuggling close to eachother but you cant really see the rest of the scenario. The shadow to the left of the red thing at the top of the pic is the "cat house" that theyve made their home, and there are 3-4 pigeons around at any given time. It DOES seem like my male is pro creating with more than just my female, but maybe he is just being nice.

You can see how close they are to my side! When its sunny, they frequently run back and forth.

I will be out of the house a lot today, so i will be having my pigeon-newbie roommate listen for them and keep an eye out for anything happening -- I will also be writing a letter to my neighbor, shes around my age in university..seems very nice, so I will try suggesting she left me move all her pigeons to my balcony for the time being..also the suggestions regarding removing the eggs that are there now so her pigeons will leave. Shes terrified of them, apparently, so hopefully I will be doing everyone a favor.

I feel like crazy cat lady from the simpsons...but with birds.

[Charis]

It's ok to be the crazy bird lady.
You are in good company on this forum.

[flitsnowzoom]

I certainly hope the neighbor will be kind and let you take care of the bird situation. I think you're handling it well now by asking permission to get the birds and volunteering to "remove" her problem.

Most people are afraid of things they know nothing about. When someone is afraid of something, then everything becomes more alien, scary, and nasty. The automatic "ick, poop and feathers" reaction many people have to birds doesn't seem to help out. (so often these same people don't seem to mind poopy messy mammals). Perhaps you can have her come over and watch your visitors and should another set of babies appear, invite her to watch the family tend to their little ones. What an opportunity you have to make her an ally or at least a neutral party . If management gets involved, well, it could be curtains for all the pidgies in the area.

[MellissaG]

Well it wouldnt be curtains if I have anything to do with it. I didnt realize people saw pigeons as such a huge pest. Well,I did.. and a lot of times i'd even agree. Walking downtown across a field of poo in my sandals..not cool. but to the point of poison control, etc? Man if everyone just helped out a little and looked after the situations..it'd be fine. Like, if she kept her balcony clean in the first place... no pigeons would be on there.

Anyway... if management gets involved, i'll stand up to them. There were already notices posted all over and dropped in mailboxes saying people would not be allowed to encourage pigeons on their balconies..that was a month ago, and ive yet to have anyone knock on the door.

Maybe I should take action before things get worse, and write a letter suggesting different methods.




PS.. update, I went out to check on them.. the little one. Hmm I need to name them. Lets see.. mine are Aisha and Ali.. those can beee.. ok i'll think on this one. Well, anyway, the little one was laying somewhat in an awkward angle next to its sibling.. so I was getting worried. But shortly, I saw one of the parents go over and feed her! WHEW. It was only a VERY little bit.. and the first ive seen her get fed..well..ever. Whenever a parent goes up to them, and tries to feed them..the bigger one dominates and gets all the food. But just now, she was goin at it something fierce! One point for the little team! yay! Climbing all over her taller sibling and everything.