nesting in house

[tricky]

Two pigoens have decided to nest in my living room. Its a loft style large multiple windowed room with many plants and maybe that appeals to them. They've been in everyday for the last three days, yesterday bearing twigs.

Is this common? I dont know much about birds but am not against the idea as long as its not going to be a major health hazard. I put some twigs, grass and news paper on a spare shelf above the TV and they certainly showed some interest.

Has anyone got any thoughts on this?

[Trees Gray]

Hello and welcome to pigeons.com

Thank you for considering these two pigeons as house guests. They must sense protection and stability in your living room. As house guests, they should be able to come and go freely. Can you also offer them water and wild bird seed?

There is not a major health risk with pigeons as there is with any bird. But do you have any objection to a little pigeon poopy? That would need to be cleaned up daily. If you put newspaper under the nest, without disturbing the nest, that would help.

Thank you for your kindness to these noble birds.

Treesa

[dano7]

The poop management is critical, but they will reside in just one or two places and if you get the newspaper down as Treesa notes, you can handle it. And pigeon poop will not generally have an odor and it is water soluble if there is an accident.

Pigeons are less disease prone than dogs and cats, and they don't transmit to humans. The risk would be if you have a poisonous plant, so it is a good idea to offer nest materials so they don't "improvise" with your plants.

[John_D]

Hi,

Presume you have a window near the shelf open all the time, through which they gained entry?

Unless you have an allergy to feathers it is unlikely that these birds will present a health risk. They are probably fit, if they are building a nest. Just take normal hygeine actions as you would with any other bird or animal.

Hope your TV is sheltered from droppings since no one can deny that pigeons are prolific 'poopers' Where I spend every other weekend, and all of last week, I frequently take my turn in cleaning out a whole aviary of pigeons, and have never had the slightest problem!

If they have not actually produced eggs, you may wish to consider swapping them for plastic ones when they do - this acts as a humane pigeon birth control, as they normally will sit the eggs as if they were real. A couple can be supplied if you want to avoid a pigeon family in your living room.

It sounds like they don't tend to fly around your room, so hopefully they will just remain contented with their little niche, when used to human presence.

Good of you to consider these birds and care for their well being

John (UK)

[tricky]

Thanks for all the advice. The birds haven't yet started nesting. They seem to be testing the ground. Every morning they're here (using the window I leave open near the shelf) and then at some point they leave. They are becoming more agile at negociating the room but are probably still a little unsure about living so close to humans. They occoassionally pick at the nesting materiels I have supplied but haven't yet started constructing a nest.

It seems that they'dprefer to nest above the kitchen cupboard, which I'm trying to avoid as its so close to the food. Hopefully they'll take to the spot by the TV.

Thanks again for all your suggestions.

[Trees Gray]

Hi there,

Thanks again for being accomodating with these two houseguests, they will eventually decide if they will stay when you see the female laying down and the male brings little twigs and stuff and puts it around her.

You would have to fill the void, so to speak, above the kitchen cupboard if you don't want them nesting there. They will look for the highest, darkest, and most private place to nest.

Treesa

[dano7]

I kind of think this will not work because wilders will not easily get comfortable with humans, especially breeders--it just unerves them a bit too much. When the couple has their morning staff meeting they say "that appartment is adorable, but..."). My birds do it all the time, but they are stuck with me. Hope I'm wrong for your sake and theirs.

[tricky]

Dano, ur probbaly right. I've been suspecting the same... even so they keep coming back every morning while we're sleeping and sometimes pop back once in the day, presumably to see if the room is empty.

thanks again for the advice.

[dano7]

Apartment hunting is such a pain...

[tricky]

exactly... actually i just got home and its 2am and there asleep on the curtain rail. They're getting in late at night and leaving around 10am and I suspect this has been the form for the past week... shouldn't I be charging rent for this?

[dano7]

The birds that live in my room have a strict policy of never showing the slightest bit of gratitude - they take everything as it comes, good and bad, and adjust for comfort!!

If they stay much past first light it would be because you are feeding them, and they will get lazy and hang out. So far you are being used as a night roost only; but it is the breeeding season and two birds usually don't stray from the flock except to nest.

[tricky]

well.. the drama continues. The birds have become more regular. They usually show up around 8pm before the sun drops, then sit most contentedly on my curtain rail, hardly moving all through the night. They've become more confident, flying in and out of the open window hardly stopping on the ledge. More twigs have been brought and a third bird showed up. I'm not sure if a 'menage a trois' is being considered or there's some battle for male supremacy in store.

I put the trigs in a small card board box and built a catcher to stop the poo landing on the floor and they seem to have adapted nicely. They're more confident around us than before.

During the day time they're in and out, sometimes bringing nest building. I have refrained from feeding them so I presume their daytime activity involves food forages. Often the female (I presume its her) stamps around the shelf cooing, presumably testing the nest area.

I guess they're considering a longer term let after all...

[~pigeonlover~]

that is the male doing the dancing and cooing it means he is wanting to mate with her. Jason

[Trees Gray]

Thank you for the update.

It is nice of you to engage them in their long term decision making. They will continue to grow more confident around you, as long as you let them.

If they do become house guests please do offer them water & seed, once she has nested.

It is part of the mating and courting ritual for the male pigeon to present the female with the nesting area.

Treesa

[dano7]

Looks like they signed the lease after all -good karma for you. It will be very interseting for you to see the show - please keep in touch. If they do mate, they would benefit from water with some Prime avian vitamin in it, and some pigeon seed to ease the need to forage. If you put a kitty litter container down full of waater, you might get to see a pigeon bath - plastic drop cloth underneath is mandatory.