[lynds]

Hi, Just need a bit of help...
We found a collared dove in the back garden 2 days ago, we waited but no parents came for it to feed it. It looks about 3/4 days old. Its just started opening its eyes, Its got a little bit of fluffy yellow feathers. We put it in a box with a towel nest and warm water bottle, we gave it porridge oats blended with water and fed through a syringe with a rubber bit on the end and a hole so it can get its beak in and feed, today we got some suet pellets as it said they were also for younger birds and easily digestible, we mixed in to a custardy texture. Its been eating well, but just not sure on what to do as ive never looked after one before. Are we giving it the right foods? We looked for some baby parrot formula but cant find any anywhere. How often should we feed it and what should we be giving it at 4 days old? There arent any wildlife places i can take it to where i live.
Thank you.

 

[John_D]

Hi

I'd suggest you take a look at

http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/

The page that takes you to is all about hand raising baby pigeons/doves. Pigeons are the example shown, but at the baby stage it applies equally to collared doves. There is also a page of pigeon/dove friendly UK rescue centres on the siate.

If you are on Facebook you could also try this group, started by the author of that web site:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/PigeonProtection/

 

[Feefo]

If you PM me your address I can get some baby parrot formula to you. As he was so young when you find him he will need complete nutrition.

 

[lynds]

Collared Dove

Hi, This Is a pic of the bird.

 

[John_D]

Aren't they just such cute little fuzzballs at that age.

See you found your way to the FB group

 

[Jay3]

How can you be sure of what kind of dove it is at that age?

 

[lynds]

Yes I did thank you, just needed all the help I could get. Not sure if its a pigeon or a collared dove. Its the main birds that live in our trees but the trees are super tall, we tried putting it in a box first and hanging the box on a tree but the parents didn't come for it and it was getting cold, also there's alot of cats about as we live at back of some allotments. Thanks for all your help

 

[John_D]

How can you be sure of what kind of dove it is at that age?

From the care and feeding point of view it wouldn't much matter at that age. It would turn out to be a collared dove or a wood pigeon, and if the latter then a white edgeing at the bottom of the wing would show after a short time.

I'm not the best on ID of tiny yellow ones, as it happens, but having looked up the comparison pics I'm pretty sure it is actually a baby wood pigeon from the 'banana beak', as opposed to the straighter beak of the collared dove.

 

[Feefo]

http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/comparingbabies.htm

 

[Jay3]

Wow! I think that 's a great website with lots of info., but haven't seen that part of it before. Thanks. Interesting. I was just interested in how someone could tell the difference, as I certainly would not be able to. Great pictures.