[darlashay]

Darla here, observing my two outside pigeons (as I am told they are not feral), I have noticed Reggie walk in circles on a couple of occasions and wondering if this is due to being stressed. It seemed to me that he was under the shelter of the roof and wanted Lovey to get under as well. She took a few extra turns of flight and landed on the roof near and he walked in circles, seeming almost beside himself. I think he wants her to be more cautious. But I may be projecting my own thoughts. Do pigeons walk in circles when stressed?

Also, I am sad to report that Reggie has become so flighty, that when he finally did land for the food, he took a few steps toward it and saw me standing inside the house, and immediately flew away. I was absolutely still, I stopped in my tracks when I noticed he had come down. I'm worried that he is so nervous now that he is not getting enough to eat or drink. And when he startles, Lovey flies away too even when she had just arrived. I want them to be cautious, of course, but it is just getting worse. You might expect them to grow more tame but they are growing less. I asked my husband to construct two wooden tables, so far I have one, that I am gradually moving the food underneath. I think the patio umbrellas flapping in the wind startle them like wings flying overhead, so I put all the umbrellas down. It does get very breezy and gusty here. I thought being under the table, they would hopefully not be as startled by every movement while they are eating, and also we may finally get a little rain. Reggie seemed fine with the food being moved, as far as being able to find it - just a few feet away - but he is so flighty I don't know if he has gotten much. I can only guess it is the arrival of all these robins, five or six of them noisy and bossy, coming around for the food. I'm so sad because it seemed the pigeons were adjusting well and had established a nice routine. On the up side, I guess they will be safer for all their caution.

Regarding hawks, we don't get any seriously cold weather so I don't really know if birds migrate from here. Haven't seen any hawks. We will be getting our rainfall sooner or later - when our total annual rainfall will come over the course of one or two days and cause flooding - so I am concerned about the pigeons. My husband is constructing a box that we will mount on the roof near where they are, and I hope it won't scare them away. Best case it will provide them a little more shelter from the wind and rain. Worst case they leave and I never see them again. But I can only do what I can do. I am wondering what I should put on the bottom, if anything, to help them be comfortable. Any suggestions? Thank you in advance.

 

[Jay3]

Darla here, observing my two outside pigeons (as I am told they are not feral), I have noticed Reggie walk in circles on a couple of occasions and wondering if this is due to being stressed. It seemed to me that he was under the shelter of the roof and wanted Lovey to get under as well. She took a few extra turns of flight and landed on the roof near and he walked in circles, seeming almost beside himself. I think he wants her to be more cautious. But I may be projecting my own thoughts. Do pigeons walk in circles when stressed?

He is trying to make her go to the nest. Males are usually a bit controlling, and will try to drive or bully the hen to go to the nest to lay eggs.

Also, I am sad to report that Reggie has become so flighty, that when he finally did land for the food, he took a few steps toward it and saw me standing inside the house, and immediately flew away. I was absolutely still, I stopped in my tracks when I noticed he had come down. I'm worried that he is so nervous now that he is not getting enough to eat or drink. And when he startles, Lovey flies away too even when she had just arrived. I want them to be cautious, of course, but it is just getting worse. You might expect them to grow more tame but they are growing less. I asked my husband to construct two wooden tables, so far I have one, that I am gradually moving the food underneath. I think the patio umbrellas flapping in the wind startle them like wings flying overhead, so I put all the umbrellas down. It does get very breezy and gusty here. I thought being under the table, they would hopefully not be as startled by every movement while they are eating, and also we may finally get a little rain. Reggie seemed fine with the food being moved, as far as being able to find it - just a few feet away - but he is so flighty I don't know if he has gotten much. I can only guess it is the arrival of all these robins, five or six of them noisy and bossy, coming around for the food. I'm so sad because it seemed the pigeons were adjusting well and had established a nice routine. On the up side, I guess they will be safer for all their caution.

I told you in the other thread that robins don't eat seed. Don't know what kind of birds you are seeing, but not robins if they are coming for the seed. Also robins are not noisy and bossy. They are quiet and don't bother other birds.
If he has gotten more flighty, then there must be a reason. You probably have had hawks around, so he is understandably nervous. As far as Lovey taking off when he startles, she is supposed to do that. It's what keeps them safe in the wild. Two pigeons aren't really safe. They are safer in a flock, where there are more eyes to watch for danger. When one sees something he perceives as danger, he will startle and take off. All the others are supposed to take off at the same time. That is what keeps them safe from hawks and other predators. To ignore that signal and stay there, that would be the pigeon who gets grabbed.

Regarding hawks, we don't get any seriously cold weather so I don't really know if birds migrate from here. Haven't seen any hawks. We will be getting our rainfall sooner or later - when our total annual rainfall will come over the course of one or two days and cause flooding - so I am concerned about the pigeons. My husband is constructing a box that we will mount on the roof near where they are, and I hope it won't scare them away. Best case it will provide them a little more shelter from the wind and rain. Worst case they leave and I never see them again. But I can only do what I can do. I am wondering what I should put on the bottom, if anything, to help them be comfortable. Any suggestions? Thank you in advance.

Change the feed you give them, and put the wild bird seed or dove mix out for the other birds, and get a regular pigeon mix for the pigeons, and the other birds will go to the dove or other mix. I have already explained about the seed in your other thread. A regular pigeon mix won't have the small seeds in it that the little wild birds like. A dove mix has lots of the small seeds they like. A good quality wild bird mix would also have lots of millet and finely cracked corn that the others like.

Also hawks are every where. And with the other birds coming for the seed, the hawks will take notice. They will be around whether you see them or not.

 

[Jay3]

I posted this in the wrong place, should have kept it with my other thread in Feral Birds. Anyway, I am reading more about shelter and rethinking the box I intended. It was just a wooden box lying on its side, with the open side facing the eaves where the pigeons are already roosting in the small sheltered space between eaves and roof where it slopes. I figured it would give them some extra space to get out of the wind and rain. But the last thing I want is to create an unventilated space where they might put a nest and end up an oven when it gets hot again. Now have to rethink whether to do it at all because if I don't get the ventilation right I could create more issues. Might just add a slanted board against the eaves to give more shelter but not close an area in.

I know people with good intentions combined with ignorance can make a situation worse and it sounds like getting too hot is way worse than being cold. We got our first rain overnight and whatever we do, it needs to be today so I think I will just go with a piece of wood and not a whole box. I know this topic is way too complicated for someone to give me advice without seeing the whole situation.

You are right in that this should be in your other thread so that people know what you are talking about. You can delete this comment. Copy and paste it in your other thread.

Also, if you start messing with putting things up where they are nesting, they may be scared away and go somewhere else. They won't trust something new in their territory. Maybe should just leave it as is.