Lonely pidgie?

[Elkhorn Pack]

We have one pigeon we keep in a coop outside. We live in the mountains, in hawk & peregrine country, at higher elevation than any wild pigeons around here. So if we let him out, he'd be instant hawk or peregrine food. We visit him once a day, he sits on our heads & shoulders, and usually peeks around the shed to watch us coming. But lately he's been PECKING--hard--last night he pecked my daughter's eye while he was sitting on her shoulder. Is this aggressiveness because he's lonely? Getting deranged? We have a cat in the house so I don't want to let him free-fly in the house, and he seems uncomfortable in his house cage since we built the coop.

Any suggestions on how we can stop the painful pecking? Thanks.

[Victor]

Hi Elkhorn pack,I am sorry your childs eye got pecked. I hope all is well. I have pet pigeons in a coop/aviary setting as wel, and most of them will sit on my head and shoulder as wel, but I always caution my grandkids or whom ever is appreciating them, never to look directly at them at that angle. The shiny eye attracts the pigeons attention. All of my bad boys do peck at me. It is just what they do. Getting him a companion may settle him down though.

[Elkhorn Pack]

Dear Victor,
Thanks. Ours has always pecked a little bit, but last night it was so aggressive & painful--repeated pecking at my ears, my neck my arm, & then went after my daughter's eye--I was kind of disturbed. I'll see what we can do about a companion!

[Trees Gray]

I'm sorry to hear about the pecking.

You may have a male pigeon who is just maturing and is taking the shed as HIS territory. He thinks he owns it and you are now tresspassing, it is normal pigeon behavior. You can only stop this behavior by restriciting him to limited area and/or getting him a friend to occupy his time and share his territory.

If you get a hen and they mate, he will also be very protective of his nesting area.

[mr squeaks]

Your pij may very well be lonely. There are LOTS of pijies who need a good home and I'm sure that you will be able to find a mate. Our site can help AND, once you DO get another pij, we can help with any further questions.

Best of everything from

Shi
Squeaks
Dom
Gimie

[Elkhorn Pack]

Thanks for the comments. You know what we did? over the weekend we put the cat in the bedroom and brought the pigeon into the house to hang out with us. He poked around for a while & then sat right by me while I read a book. Very contented. For safety he has claimed my daughter's head, where he flies whenever something makes him feel insecure. She loves this of course. We have learned not to look at him while he's on our shoulders, though! And now he seems very calm & happy. I think he just wanted company. Maybe another pidge would help....

[lizz]

awww,,, how great of you guys!!!! i laughed out loud about him claiming your daughter's head as his safety zone!!! i can just picture it!

and i'll tell ya, the eye-pecking thing? a couple of times i've been darn glad my lid reflexes are as good as they are! i don't think it's a mean thing, i really do see it more as a curiosity thing. at least it is with trooper, but EEK! good idea to not look at him.

house pigeons are great, and you know you could buy him some 'clothes' so he doesn't decorate everything......he could stay in the house more!