Feral Pigeons

[Highlander9]

Hi:

I have lived in Scottsdale Arizona for the last ten years and have fed feral pigeons and other smaller birds in my back yard. The pigeons come in the early morning and feed and usually leave to return at around 1:00p.m. and stay until dark. They all fly away (to where, I don't know) and return the next day. I have to move. I don't know what to do about the birds. I feel bad if I stop feeding them and providing water. It's very hot this time of year. I once tried to just stop feeding them, but they won't go away. They stay and wait and look confused. Should I try to catch them and sell them? I don't want to make money on them. I do care for them. When I leave a new owner may just pay someone to exterminate them. Any advise would be appreciated. Thank you.

Highlander 9

[feralpigeon]

Hello Highlander and welcome to Pigeon Talk.

Well, you have a group of birds who come to your home due to your consistent hospitality over the years. They recognize you as a regular source of food. It would seem the best approach is to gradually teach them that you are not a consistent source of food. If you leave food out all the time, then start taking it in so that it isn't available in abundance. I don't know how much time you have left at your current location, but gradually, I would start skipping meals. I think breakfast would be a good meal to skip as they would have the day to search elsewhere for food. Wean them to one meal a day, and then start skipping days. This may be difficult for you as you probably enjoy their company as much as they enjoy the easy feed. But without doing this, they will continue to be dependant on your location for their survival and not need to look elsewhere. They are independant little creatures with alot of survival skills and will adjust to being fed less by filling in elsewhere.
I definitely would not catch them and sell them. You would disrupt their lives, families and so their well being by doing so and I think you care enough about them not to want to do that to them.

Good luck and let us know how the weaning process goes.

fp

[Highlander9]

Hello feralpigeon:

Thank you for your usefull information. I will skip breakfast feeds for them starting tomorrow. I know they won't take this well. I hope they don't make alot of noise about this. I'm talking about 100 ferals that come here. I do see alot of bird seed packs being sold at the shops here so others do care for birds. The problem is that alot of people think badly of pigeons. I was shocked to find a website that was kind to them. I'll let you know how this goes. I'm moving within two-three months.

[feralpigeon]

Hi Highlander,
Your welcome.
It's might seem harder with the larger flock, but I think still doable.
It will be tough, and particularly hard on your heart, but in the long run,
you will be doing them a favor. The first couple of weeks will be the toughest, cause they might put surveillance on you when you try leaving the house--ie.Hey you, there you are, where are our seeds??? But hopefully they'll move on to another food supply. Good luck, and let us know how it all goes for you!

fp

[Lin Hansen]

Originally Posted by feralpigeon

The first couple of weeks will be the toughest, cause they might put surveillance on you when you try leaving the house--ie.Hey you, there you are, where are our seeds???
fp

In reference to being "under surveillence," I have a suggestion...it may sound silly, but you've got nothing to lose by trying it.

When I used to feed the ferals twice a day--mornings and afternoons, (now, it's just in the mornings), the birds would be waiting around my house for me in the afternoons. They would be on the phone pole wires, on the roof of my house and surrounding houses. They would spot me coming (I walk to and from work), a block away and as soon as they spotted me, would take off and start flying toward my driveway, where I feed them.

Well, one day it was drizzling and I had a big black umbrella. Don't you know I was able to walk right under the birds and into my house without ANY of them realizing it was me?! I was amazed. It was very helpful when I decided to cut out the afternoon feeding and just feed early in the mornings (there was beginning to be too much negative attention being attracted). I looked foolish walking home w/ an umbrella when it wasn't raining...but the birds didn't recognize me. And after only about 2, 3 days they realized that the morning feeding was going to be the only one, and stopped returning in the afternoons.

So, to make a long story short....LOL...if you need to sneak out of your house w/o the birds seeing you, you may want to try using an umbrella or large hat....it just may work!

Sorry, you are going through this...I know it must be heartbreaking for you, but I'm sure the birds will find other alternatives and be just fine.

Linda

[Highlander9]

Hello Lin Hansen:


I know what you mean about the pigeons being able to spot you. They know my car coming in the drive way. I think I will try the once feeding a day (skipping mornings) This is hard because I feed several feral cats. We've caught them all and had them spayed and neutered. The houses on this block are on one acre each and alot of them have barns for the horses. It's a changing neighborhood. Rich people buy in and bulldoze the places and put up expansive mansions. I know they won't put up with the pigeons. When I feed the cats, the pigeons come and even eat the dry cat food. I'll have to change their feeding schedule too. It's extremely hot out here now (112 temp) and at least one pigeon dies a day. I catch some of them and put them in the cat carriers with food and water, but by the next morning they are dead. I plan on retrapping the feral cats and taking them with me to my next place since I know the newer residents in this area will not think to help the area animals. My not feeding them this morning was so sad. They won't leave and are waiting around. What if I caught them and released them someplace else that's cooler in temperature? An hours drive from here is cooler temperatures (Prescott, Az). Any suggestions are really helpful. Thank you.

[feralpigeon]

Hi Lin and Highlander,

Great story, Lin! The pigeons can sure keep you on your toes, lol.

Highlander, unless you could positively know who was mating with who, and where all their nest sites were, and be able to move nests, eggs, squabs, and their parents who would wing wack the hell out of you for trying to help them,
I think it might not work. While your intentions would be very honerable, they would think of it as invasive and wouldn' t necesarily appreciate it. Consider the many members here who see a sick pigeon, and have to wait until the condition advances to the point that the pigeon is too debilitated to avoid being "helped". There is one pigeon I currently have my "eye" on, who has one foot entangled in thread or the like which extends to the other leg making it impossible for this poor bird to walk. It still flys very well however, and is extra aware of possible "danger" as it knows it is impaired so its antenna are up. It will land to feed and uses its wings to get to short distances on the ground. Very sad, but it knows to stay at safe distance.

Once the pijies became aware that you were catching them, they would as a group, be more leary of your presence, and keep their distance as well.
Their instinct for survival may not save all of them in the flock but will surely
aid them in moving on their own. They may not all survive, but that is how life is for the ferals, unfortunatly. I think it is probably best to just wean them from the feedings and let them adjust to the new circumstances. All of our lives change, that is the only constant, no living thing is able to stop change. Sometimes there is benefit from the change, and hopefully the pijies will find a new situation that they can benefit from.