Baby bandtail pigeon hurt.

[Weasel]

I found a hurt pigeon yesterday near my property. It seems as if it is a baby bandtail pigeon. Either crows or a hawk tried to kill it and pulled out many of it's feathers behind his neck and under the right wing. His right eye is all red and has lost the pupil, so I believe that he may be blind in that eye. I believe that it is a bandtail pigeon because their are many in the area and it has the same color beak and feet and a black band is forming on it's tail. Some of the characteristics with the feathers are not yet noticable. He has soft fluffy grey feathers still. Anyway, he does not yet eat seed so I have forced fed him baby bird food, and he drinks water. My concern is that it seems that he doesn't know how to walk yet. It seems as if he tries but that he can't hold his large body up. So, instead of standing up he scootches around. Is this normal? Maybe is he still to young to stand? My initial thoughts were that he was trying to fly and couldn't but now it seems as if he had fallen from his nest and then was attacked. What do you think, and can you give me any advice? I have another young checkered feral pigeon that I also recently saved from three crows and now he, Percy, is doing fine. Do you think the bandtail will have the same favorable fate?

[raynjudy]

Hello, and welcome aboard!

Please see reply to your post below in [brackets]...

*****
I found a hurt pigeon yesterday near my property. It seems as if it is a baby bandtail pigeon. Either crows or a hawk tried to kill it and pulled out many of it's feathers behind his neck and under the right wing. His right eye is all red and has lost the pupil, so I believe that he may be blind in that eye.

[How sad! Have you cleaned the area around the eye with anything? Have you looked for any other puncture injuries behind his neck or under his wing?]

I believe that it is a bandtail pigeon because their are many in the area and it has the same color beak and feet and a black band is forming on it's tail. Some of the characteristics with the feathers are not yet noticable. He has soft fluffy grey feathers still. Anyway, he does not yet eat seed so I have forced fed him baby bird food, and he drinks water.

[Very good! About how much baby bird formula are you giving? It is wise to keep him well hydrated--water is vital. You may also want to take steps to keep the baby warm. A heating pad on low beneath a towel works well, but be certain not to overheat the little guy. Keep it up with the water!]

My concern is that it seems that he doesn't know how to walk yet. It seems as if he tries but that he can't hold his large body up. So, instead of standing up he scootches around. Is this normal? Maybe is he still to young to stand? My initial thoughts were that he was trying to fly and couldn't but now it seems as if he had fallen from his nest and then was attacked.

[He should be able to stand. Examine and describe his legs, please. Does he squeak for food, or show any interest in eating? What about poops? Look at absolutely everything that you can think of and describe it, briefly. Examples: Are his feathers fluffed? Does he tremble or shake? How does he hold his head?]

What do you think, and can you give me any advice? I have another young checkered feral pigeon that I also recently saved from three crows and now he, Percy, is doing fine. Do you think the bandtail will have the same favorable fate?

[I think your assertion of him falling, and then being attacked makes sense. I'd guess a crow too--a hawk would have finished him off.]

[You are wonderful to help! He may well survive. But we are going to need more information from you... Do you have access to an avian vet? Can you get to a pharmacy?]

*****
Any of you experienced rehabbers, please jump in any time! I will always defer to experience!

Hang in there, Weasel, help's on the way!

Regards,

Ray

PS. Click on the "Pigeon On Crutches" on the home page for additional emergency care info.

[Weasel]

Thank you for replying so quickly.

He keeps the eyelid on the injured eye closed for much of the time. I did put two drops of Bausch and Lomb Lotemax in his eye. The drops are suposed to kill any bacteria that can cause infection. There does not seem to be any punture wounds on his neck or under his wing, although there is some dried blood and reddening. I did apply some medicated first aid spray and bag balm, antiseptic gel, to the bare skin, just as I did for Percy, my other pigeon. He won't let me easily look under his wing, he become upset and tries to move away and his breathing becomes harder.
I will give him about 29.6 CC of baby food a couple times a day, although I have only given him one dose today because I need help holding him. He has only pooped once since then, it was about 1:30pm that he ate. His poops are bright green and white and somewhat runny. He does keep his feathers fluffed and sometimes when I pet him they go down, but he has not pruned himself. When I pick him up, I can feel his claws grip my fingers, yet he will not stand. It does not look like he was pecked around his legs. He does move his legs when he tries to scoot around but again will not stand. After his eating I have noticed that he drops his head when he doses, and that his beak touches the towel that he is sitting on. He also seems to be breathing a little heavily. He also keeps his beak slightly open.
I am able to get to a pharmacy so would appreciate any advice. Thank you.

[fred2344]

The poor bird is showing all the symptoms that it is in pain. The gasping, the head bent low are all signs.
There is probably nerve damage anywhere between the spine and the legs. There is no way of knowing if the bird will recover full use of the legs. If you could have taken thsi bird to a vet, a steroid shot may have helped take some of the pressure off the nerve.
Frankly, if you want to take the resoponsibilty of rehabbing this bird it will probably not be releasable because of the probable blindness that is in one eye. I fyou can't keep the bird, you might as well have it put down after a vet confirms that the eyesight has been lost. Release of the bird will most proably result in it's being blindised by a predator such as a hawk. They can spot a weakness from a mile away.
Don't use a gel because it will clog the pores and cause ingrown feathers as will as eliminating all the heat insulation capacities of the remaining feathers that will be coated.
If the bird is in that much pain, it will probably not eat and hand feeding may put it into shock so you are between a rock and a hard place right now as far as nutrition is concerned.
The problem with putting in Lotemax is that although it is good for humans, it may contain some contents that are not good for pigeons. I don't know if it is good or not.
What is really needed is Terramycin opthalmic antibiotic ointment which is the recommended medication for the eyes of birds. If you don't have any, Neosporin antibiotic cream from a pharmacy would suffice and I would administer it twice a day.
Please keep us updated on what is going on. If it doesn't end well, know that you did a great deal to help and you were not the one that caused such injuries.

[raynjudy]

Weasel, you made very good use of what was at hand.

Warm the bird up as described--that allows its core energy to go to other things, like healing. Keep it well hydrated and try the plain Pedialyte (buy the small bottles, as it doesn't keep).

Since there are poops, go ahead and keep up the feeding (sorry, Fred, but this is what I would do). The pigeon needs to eat much more than you describe here, and often is better than a few big meals.

Wrap the pigeon in a soft T-shirt or towel, so that only the head pokes out (this will contain the bird and free up your hands). Extend the head and hold the beak open with your finger tip, while inserting a 1 cc syringe of the Kaytee formula towards the PIGEON'S RIGHT CHEEK (important!).

Crush a Tums tablet up entirely in water and give it via the syringe to the bird every other day, for a week.

Contact an avian vet and ask for a course of
Baytril for a sick "dove".

Please describe the legs in more detail--does the bird hold them under him?

More, later...

PIGEONS FOREVER!!!

--Ray

[Scuiry]

Originally posted by Weasel:
I found a hurt pigeon yesterday near my property. It seems as if it is a baby bandtail pigeon. Either crows or a hawk tried to kill it and pulled out many of it's feathers behind his neck and under the right wing. His right eye is all red and has lost the pupil, so I believe that he may be blind in that eye. I believe that it is a bandtail pigeon because their are many in the area and it has the same color beak and feet and a black band is forming on it's tail. Some of the characteristics with the feathers are not yet noticable. He has soft fluffy grey feathers still. Anyway, he does not yet eat seed so I have forced fed him baby bird food, and he drinks water. My concern is that it seems that he doesn't know how to walk yet. It seems as if he tries but that he can't hold his large body up. So, instead of standing up he scootches around. Is this normal? Maybe is he still to young to stand? My initial thoughts were that he was trying to fly and couldn't but now it seems as if he had fallen from his nest and then was attacked. What do you think, and can you give me any advice? I have another young checkered feral pigeon that I also recently saved from three crows and now he, Percy, is doing fine. Do you think the bandtail will have the same favorable fate?

Check around your area for a wildlife refuge or vet who will take wild birds.

You could take it to any wild life refuge that rehabs birds.

Band Tails are a native species and may even be protected. Your best bet is to triage and turn it over to a specialist. Even if you can help it I'm not sure Band Tails thrive well in captivity.

I rescued a baby Mourning Dove that had the same problem you are having but mine was not injured. Mine could not stand well either. I think the vet had to tube feed it for a while before it began eating solid food. It could have fallen and was attacked or may have been attacked in the nest and fallen out. No way to tell. You may have found it just before it was weaned.

Either way, with an eye injury like that I think a vet or a wild life rehabber should take it from here.

d.

[Scuiry]

P.S.

Vets who treat wildlife will do so at no charge. You sometimes have to sign it over to their care. If the vet can help it the bird will be released or turned over to a sanctuary for permanent residence.

From your description this bird should never be released; it is a prime candidate for a bird sanctuary and would live the rest of its life in good care

d.

[fred2344]

Ray,
Don't be sorry. You are probably right.
Weasel, can you post about what is going on now?

[raynjudy]

Weasel:

Since you've already rescued and adopted one pigeon, if you're so inclined to to keep this one, by all means consider it!There is no reason you can't keep this bird as a pet, if it survives.

Somewhere in my files is a picture of "One Eye" and her babies--the babies she went on to raise after being rescued in much the same way as this little one! Email me and I'll find that pic for you.

When last I heard, "One Eye" was an active member of the Parish family, in Bunkie Louisiana.

A rehabber or a vet may be tempted to "put the bird down". Tactfully find out the likely outcome of turning this little guy over to a vet or rehabber, before doing so.

Remember, they can only kill it once...

Please update us at your next opportunity.

Again, you've done very well with what's at
hand!

PIGEONS FOREVER!!!

Ray