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#1
9th December 2008, 04:02 PM
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feral pigeon release with doves?I have several ferals rehabbed and ready to release. I would do a "soft release". just letting them out at my property, but there is no pigeon flock here..BUT..I do have a small flock of doves, about 15 or 20 that live in the trees and feed on the scatterred seeds from the aviary.
1. While I would not expect the pigeons to join the dove flock, doesn't this bode well for the safety of the area for feral pigeons too? 2. How many pigeons would make up a "safe sized" feral flock if I released several at the same time?? Otherwise I have to take them to another site some miles away where there is a large feral population at a mall. 
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#2
9th December 2008, 04:15 PM
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Where these ferals adults when you got them?
__________________
Charis If all the beasts were gone, men would die from great loneliness of spirit, for whatever happens to the beasts also happens to the man. Seattle 1736-1866  Another Life, Gone To The Birds! DO NO HARM Member, International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council
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#4
9th December 2008, 04:37 PM
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Kippermom, I think if these are adults they will not stay with the doves. They may continue to stay around your home for food and water though. We try to always release our rehabs into an established feral flock and go to the location for a week or two to put out food and water for them. We try to pick an area with a lot of pigeons, bridges, access to water and open ground.
We have rehabbed about 14 years. Our very first pigeon, Buzz, was a youngster when we found him and unable to fly. We knew zilch about caring for pigeons but somehow he survived! We would take Buzz to the beach with us and he would follow my husband around on the ground while he worked in the yard. He started making little flights while we were there and actually did take up with a flock of doves that we fed. We would put him on the porch and he would go to where they were feeding and when they left, he went with them, sometimes staying away for hours. I remember one day we were going out to dinner with some friends and he had not come back when we left. I was so worried. But, when we got back home, there he was, perched on the porch railing, fast asleep. We brought him back home with us and later released him here. So, he is one pigeon that did take up with doves!
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Maggie
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#5
9th December 2008, 05:00 PM
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It wouldn't surprise me if the adults returned to their flocks. West coast Pigeons seem to do this more often than their East coast cousins.
__________________
Charis If all the beasts were gone, men would die from great loneliness of spirit, for whatever happens to the beasts also happens to the man. Seattle 1736-1866 Another Life, Gone To The Birds! DO NO HARM Member, International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council
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#6
9th December 2008, 09:07 PM
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Well, personally, I would NOT release them at a mall. The down side of releasing them in your yard is that they will likely "home" there and eventually you will have many, many pigeons which may (or may not) cause problems for you. I think you need to find a good site (similar to my duck pond park where there is a big flock of ferals and food and water available all the time) and let them go there. I try to have at least 4 in a little group to release as a mini-flock. Usually I have 8-10 that have grown up together and they are released together. I cannot release mine in my backyard due to hawk visitations, but they do well getting released into the duck pond flock.
Terry
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