London Underground policy

[PidgePidge]

Hi all,
I was wondering if anyone could solve a mystery for me (and hopefully not with a sad answer...). I have been watching a pair of pigeons nest at my nearby (above-ground) tube stop (subway) in London. They nested, sat for a couple of weeks, and then two-or-so days ago hatched at least one healthy looking baby. But last night when I came home the pair were off the nest (up on their usual non-nesting spot), and I couldn't see if the babies were there (the nest is up on a beam). A similar situation happened at the same tube station a couple of weeks ago with a different nesting pair--I knew they had nested but never saw the babies. But with both, due to the location of the nest, I can't get a good look to see if the babies are there, dead, grown enough to fly, etc. But I am afraid the Tube people are destroying the nests. Does anyone know if they do this as a policy? They would have to have a ladder to do it so I am doubtful, but I can't figure out what else might have happened to the babies. Will someone refresh me: how long after hatching do the babies fly the nest? And for how long do the parents continue to sit on the hatchlings? Could it be that after three-ish days the parents were no longer sitting on them, or that the babies had flown off? I am doubtful, I think something happened to them

[alea]

Hi Pidge.
Certainly, the babies still need parents long after day 3. I'm pretty sure they need them for 3-4 weeks at least, but don't know an exact age. However, I do think they leave them sometimes for short periods to forage. I'm sure it may be more frequent if something has happened to one of the parents. Too sad to think someone may have hurt them, but I wouldn't be suprised.

Could you see them well? I am only an amateur here, but I have seen (just casually observing in my neighborhood)large babies (fledglings) left alone for fairly long periods. I think maybe the parents might be encouraging them to fly??? They don't need to be fed so often, body temp is more stable, etc. so this just kind of made sense to me. Here's hoping.

[dano7]

It's fairly warm at the station right now during the day, so they might not sit on them all the tinme, but it does seem suspicious. You should know soon since there is no hiding the fledglings in the next few weeks - they are the little pigeons being fed by adults; the ones that don't seem to know quite what to do.

[John_D]

3 days or so seems a bit early for both birds to be off the nest. They do, once the baby is able to thermo regulate take a break sometimes, maybe around middle of the day, when both male and female are off for a short time - then, often, the female sits for a while, then the male comes back to continue his shift.

John