Winston--Portrait of a Survivor

[Pidgey]

I saw a pigeon feeding with the feral flock that feeds at my house yesterday. I noticed right off that there was something different about him. He was eating on the hot tub cover with the rest of them and I couldn't see any primary flight feathers on the side that was closest to me.

I was flying Unie so I assumed that my eyesight (or mind, take your pick) was failing me. I decided that it simply couldn't be so we (Unie and I) resumed our fun when I heard a "CHOP! CHOP! CHOP!" sound behind me. Normally, accelerating pigeons don't make that particular sound but I've heard it before from an unreleaseable bird that I have with very short feathers on one side.

I turned and saw this pigeon (who REALLY DIDN'T have any primaries on the starboard wing) actually flying across the yard. He flew for 20 feet before landing on the yard itself and then started running for cover.

Naturally, we had to rescue him but that was a heckuva' chore! That little pigeon took me all over the yard half-flying and running as fast as any pigeon I've ever seen. When I'd get him cornered he'd freeze, wait for the hands and then scoot right through. I'm pretty good at catching hurt pigeons but this was ridiculous! He'd climb up on the firewood and dang near fly right over me, land and go under the shrubs only to re-emerge right between my legs and do it all again.

A pigeon that had that much going against it and could still put up that kind of fight and still manage to fly deserves serious respect as a survivor. I decided to name him "Winston" after Winston Churchill. I don't know where he came from but I think he's had to eat some rough stuff to stay alive. Here's his picture:

http://pets.webshots.com/photo/13982...73664377IFyMug

I ran a fecal on him and found the first evidence of Capillaria (threadworms) that I've ever seen. They are more damaging than roundworms because they bore holes that can cause hemorrhaging. There's a picture here (it's the greenish colored body):

http://pets.webshots.com/photo/13982...73664377AryCyR

There are also a couple of other strange objects that I'm curious about and I'll eventually consult with a vet on them. Their pictures are here:

http://pets.webshots.com/photo/13982...73664377PgHNIe

http://pets.webshots.com/photo/13982...73664377eHexVb

You can also see coccidial oocysts here and there on those pictures but there aren't so many as to require medication yet. I'll see how the stress of the recent lifestyle change affects him before I medicate him for that.

Pidgey

[Garye]

All I can say is, thank God the pigeon found you, unwittingly. It has no idea how lucky it is - but it will in time. That poor pigeon. I hope all goes well with him.

I know a lot of people don't like us feeding pigeons but if it hadn't been for you feeding them, God knows how long this one would've survived on its own.

[TAWhatley]

Good catch Pidgey! It's great that Winston is now safe with you!

Terry

[pdpbison]

Oye...

Such a pretty Pigeon too!

Good going Pidgey...

How do you get these images from your Microscope?


Phil
Las Vegas

[Pidgey]

Phil,

Would you believe I just hold the regular digital camera up to the eyepiece and shoot? You gotta' hold it REAL centered and REAL steady and REALLY in-line but it works better than I expected.

He's finally getting calmer--I caught him hunkered down last night. I think he knows now that he's not for dinner. They always finally "stake their claim" to that table as their territory and will finally Roo-Koo-You when you come around to let you know to BACK OFF! I always get a kick out of that.

Pidgey

[pdpbison]

Hi Pidgey,

Lol...

That and or the peck...or the Wing-chop AND the Roo-Coo-Coo...and that 'look'...

Always good signs...

I am behind on my microscope stuff, but good to know my Camera might just do it then if I want to post an image.

Thanks Pidgey..!


Phil

[Pidgey]

Okay, I haven't seen a worm egg in several fecals now (still haven't wormed him yet) and I dug down real deep and saw that his primaries are about a half-inch long at this point so they're on their way!

However, that pigeon still stinks. I'm beginning to think he's got some bacteria that's got a horrible odor. I gave him a long bath/shower yesterday and STILL can't get the smell off my hands. Now, I'm sure that Winston Churchill did NOT have this particular problem so I hope he's not turning over in his grave.

Winston can easily fly all over the place (I still can't believe that) in the basement. I'm not certain that I've rescued him. I would just love to take him in and get him de-scented though like they do with skunks. I seem to remember that somebody had a pigeon that they named "Stinky" and I'm really starting to wonder why. I really thought this would go away but it's just not. I'm thinking I'm going to give him a clorox water bath this afternoon. By they way, it's in the feathers and skin, not in the poop.

Any thoughts?

Pidgey

[Trees Gray]

Pidgey,

That was a bird that Terry had, Stinky, that smelled so bad, here is the thread and a lot of great info.

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=4654

Treesa

[TAWhatley]

Stinky (aka Catherine the Great) is still with me and doing well. She adores grumpy old Traveler, but he has no interest. Stinky lost her horrible odor after about 4-5 months when she had regained her weight and overall health.

Terry

[Trees Gray]

Thank you Terry, I was just going to ask you how Stinky, AKA Catherine the Great, was doing, glad she doesn't stink anymore, and I guess Traveler doesn't think she is so great, either! LOL

Treesa

[Pidgey]

Okay,

Winston (maybe "Winnie"--really starting to lean that way now) got the bath last night consisting of Dawn dishwashing liquid in water with a little bit of Clorox (about a teaspoon in a gallon). That did take away the odor and it also revealed something else--a festering sore on the chest where he must have skidded a burn from a real hard landing. That's easy to imagine considering the wing.

We've got Tri-biotic ointment on the wound/abcess now (it was impossible to find without wetting the bird) and so that should solve the problem. I pressed the bird to my nose this morning and... Ahh!!! "Lemon Fresh Scent!" It's a shame they don't come stock this way.

It was so funny, I held Winston down in the bird-sized pan so that only his head above the ears was sticking out for probably 15 minutes to give the chlorinated water time to work in good. He never moved--reminded me of a wooden duck decoy, actually. At one point, I started to wonder if he'd gone into a coma because of chlorine fumes which I couldn't even smell but he came to life during the rinse cycle, you may be sure.

We did a pigeon burrito for about an hour to wick most of the water away and then a blow-dry. I don't know how long it'll take to get waterproof again, maybe not until the molt. Anyhow...

"Win-STON smells good... like a pij-E-ON should!" Wasn't there some kind of commercial on TV when we were young that went like that? Same words?

Pidgey

[pigeonmama]

Yeah, but wasn't it about a brand of (smelly) cigarette ? Used to " ?? smells good, like a Bump Bump cigarette should >
Daryl

[pigeonmama]

Or was it "tastes good"
Again, Daryl

[Lin Hansen]

Hi Everyone,

It was Winston tastes good like a cigarette should.

Linda

[Pidgey]

Linda,

Did you sing that while walking down the halls of your elementary school? Judging by the "Bump Bump" addition in Pigeonmama's version, she danced to it.

Pidgey