pigeon nested on my balcony...help wanted!

[sarahjanedavey]

About a month or so ago I noticed a pigeon had laid an egg on my balcony in a garden box that is out of the way and never used (coincidentally right under my bedroom window). I've been reading some posts as I haven't seen mama for a couple of days and was wondering about their natural habits after baby hatches out.

I assume that mama was there for a while before I noticed her as baby is now about 2 weeks old or so. He's getting gray feathers and his yellow down is starting to fall away.

There isn't much of a nest, mama set them up on the dirt in the corner of the box...no protection from weather and nothing very warm unless the sun comes out, in which case it would be VERY hot (we are south facing).

As I said, I haven't seen mama for a couple of days and baby looks to be breathing very heavily. I'm not sure if he's had anything to eat for a while, though I know that hunger is the natural incentive for them to fly initially.

I don't want to tamper with nature and honestly, I don't think I want a pet pigeon but I am concerned because some of the information I'm reading doesn't match up with what's happening here.

First of all, I've been reading and told that it's usually mama and papa that make the nest but there has only been one adult here the whole time. Also, I've read that it's usually two eggs but there was only one. Baby hasn't moved in days and as I said, I doubt he's getting any nourishment and that goes double for water as it's really dry out there.

I know to believe only half of what I read and less of what I hear so I'm hoping that people will reply with information so I can piece together what seems to be consistent.

I don't want this pigeon to die on my balcony but I don't want to look after it unless it's absolutely necessary.

Any advice or information would be appreciated and PLEASE, do not send me replies saying "you have to look after this pigeon or you're a bad person" etc because I know my attention could be very detrimental to this bird unless it is absolutely necessary to save it's life and I am not one to interfere with nature and domesticate wild animals when it is not a matter of life and death.

Your assistance is appreciated, thanks! And sorry for the long post...

sarah

[Lovebirds]

Originally Posted by sarahjanedavey

About a month or so ago I noticed a pigeon had laid an egg on my balcony in a garden box that is out of the way and never used (coincidentally right under my bedroom window). I've been reading some posts as I haven't seen mama for a couple of days and was wondering about their natural habits after baby hatches out.

I assume that mama was there for a while before I noticed her as baby is now about 2 weeks old or so. He's getting gray feathers and his yellow down is starting to fall away.

There isn't much of a nest, mama set them up on the dirt in the corner of the box...no protection from weather and nothing very warm unless the sun comes out, in which case it would be VERY hot (we are south facing).

As I said, I haven't seen mama for a couple of days and baby looks to be breathing very heavily. I'm not sure if he's had anything to eat for a while, though I know that hunger is the natural incentive for them to fly initially.

I don't want to tamper with nature and honestly, I don't think I want a pet pigeon but I am concerned because some of the information I'm reading doesn't match up with what's happening here.

First of all, I've been reading and told that it's usually mama and papa that make the nest but there has only been one adult here the whole time. Also, I've read that it's usually two eggs but there was only one. Baby hasn't moved in days and as I said, I doubt he's getting any nourishment and that goes double for water as it's really dry out there.

I know to believe only half of what I read and less of what I hear so I'm hoping that people will reply with information so I can piece together what seems to be consistent.

I don't want this pigeon to die on my balcony but I don't want to look after it unless it's absolutely necessary.

Any advice or information would be appreciated and PLEASE, do not send me replies saying "you have to look after this pigeon or you're a bad person" etc because I know my attention could be very detrimental to this bird unless it is absolutely necessary to save it's life and I am not one to interfere with nature and domesticate wild animals when it is not a matter of life and death.

Your assistance is appreciated, thanks! And sorry for the long post...

sarah

Sarah, I'll give a quick reply. Ran across this in the middle of cooking dinner. Since the baby is 2 weeks old, the parents would not be spending much time with it. Usually a few times a day to water/feed it and MAYBE at night. If you could check on the baby to see if it's still alive and if it seems to be doing ok. Baby pigeons do breath "somewhat" heavy when they are little so that may or may not be a concern. To the untrained eye, it may seem abnormal but if you watch the babies in our loft, you can see thier tail going "up an down" somewhat and that is normal.
Hang on one.........I'll be back.........

[Lovebirds]

OK.........if you touch the baby, the parents won't mind. That old myth about birds abandoning thier babies because of human scent is just that....a myth. More than likely, both the parents are the same color, Blue Bar, and maybe that's why you've thought you were only seeing one when in actuality you were seeing both. Both of the parents will not normally be around the nest at the same time. If you could POSSIBLY put a small dish of water out, that would be helpful. At two weeks old, the baby should be starting to move around a bit and squeaking when one of the parents come to feed it. One concern I have is the nest situation. Pigeons are not known to be big nest builders most of the time, and sometimes their babies can develope what we call "splayed" legs, which means a leg or sometimes both, will be out to the side instead of tucked up under the baby. Any chance of getting some pictures?
Be right back........

[Lovebirds]

So......if you could check the baby and see if it's still alive, then we can go from there. I may be off of here for a few so finish dinner, hopefully some other members will come along soon and chime in......... As long as you can keep in touch here, someone somehow will help get this little guy introduced into the world properly..............it's not as bad as it seems hopefully. Also, if you could tell us where you are, IF there really is a problem with the baby, it may be that there is someone close to you that could take the baby and finish raising it.

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hi Sarah,

Can you let us know where you are located and perhaps we can have someone assist you?