Benji - my first released rehabbed pigeon

A couple of months ago, I found a pigeon that was lagging behind the rest of the flock that I normally visit. It was stumbling along pecking at dirt, just barely crossing the parking lot. I drove over and to my surprise, I was able to pick it up without it hardly trying to get away from me. It was so malnourished that its bones were sticking out. I thought, I doubt it it’s going to make it but I’ll take it home anyways.

I put water in a box with him in it. The bird just stood there and I had to literally dip its beak into the water (with vitamins) before it would drink. I thought again, it’s probably not going to make it but I have it here now, so I’ll try to give it what I can and if it dies, at least I tried. At nighttime I gave it Baytril. I could see the bird’s breathing slowing down and then relaxing and it getting sleepy. I thought, I don’t think this bird is going to make it, but at least I tried.

The next morning – BAM! – that bird had energy! I gave it fresh water and food and it just tore it all down. For the next several weeks, I continued giving this pigeon medication (based on what was told me here to give pigeons) and the bird just picked up in health. It got BIG almost overnight. It regained its appetite, the poops became normal, and best of all, I found out it could fly. So I thought there’s a good chance I could release this pigeon back into the wild.

For two months, unbeknownst to anyone on this forum, I gave Benji a home and time to recuperate until he was well enough to be on his own. Then came the hard part. Benji was itching to go back to his friends and Spring was coming. Each day he would practice trying to fly (and getting better each time – I had a hard time catching him after a while in the bathroom). I finally decided, I have to let him go. He wants to be back there with his friends and he can fly so he can probably make it.

I told Maggie that it was getting near time for Benji to leave. She just looked at me – she had no clue what I was talking about – I had kept those two separate so they hadn’t seen each other although they were in the same room. I knew she knew there was another pigeon with her in the room but I made sure they never saw each other because I did not want them to become attached to each other in the event that Benji was going to be released. But she looked up at me, wondering, and I think in a while she knew what I was talking about because she kinda gave me a knowing look.

Anyways, today I released Benji with a flock at another mall because the mall I had originally found him at, is now being covered by a hawk and I didn’t want Benji to have to adjust that soon and have to deal with THAT. There was a small group of pigeons at the mall that I released Benji at. Would they accept him? Would he fit in? I nervously opened the cage to let Benji out. Benji took a few steps and then shot out flying over to a pigeon far away from me. From a distance I could see them ‘talking’ to each other by the way they kinda sniffed each other. I could almost hear them talking:

“Hi I’m Benji. What’s your name?”

“Hi, I’m Bob. You’re new here. Where do you come from?”

“Oh I’ll tell you about it all later. It’s really quite a long story. I was kept prisoner by this person over there for two whole months!”

“WOW! That must’ve been horrible!”

“Well, not all of the time. I did get food, clean water and a nice warm place to stay. He kept giving me all of this funny stuff though, that he put down my throat. It was awful but it did make me feel better. Hey! I think he’s leaving! Let’s go join the others. He can’t catch us now while he’s over there, so we’ll be safe.”

“You think he’ll try to get you again?”

“I don’t know but I want to make sure that he doesn’t. I don’t want to be a prisoner again. It’s no fun. I like it better out here. It was so boring being a prisoner.”

“Yeah, I don’t think I’d like to be a prisoner either – even if you do get fed and have a nice warm place to stay. I like being able to be out on my own with friends and all.”

I had moved my car a short distance away to watch Benji with his new friend. The two flew over to the flock now eating the seed I had given them. Benji and his friend joined in and then when they were all full, I watched Benji and the flock fly up to the roof of a store. Benji stared down at me. I waved and wished him well. It about tore my heart to have to leave him there but I knew he belonged with his own kind.

I have no pictures of Benji and I put no band on his leg. If something should happen to him, I don’t want to know it was him. I’ll just keep swinging by to see if the flock is ok. The only thing I have of Benji is a feather he left behind while he was in my care. I hope he’s happy now.

Goodbye Benji. I hope all goes well with you.

-Garye