[Guest]

We have found a pigeon in our garden which has no tail at all. Obviously this has been pulled out right down to the base. I have put the pigeon in an outside aviary (we have parrots who are kept indoors at this time of year) and have left water and some small seeds from our parrot mix. This in temporary until we get to the shop for proper seed. We picked up the pigeon this morning.

My question is, I am worried because the pigeon is very docile and although standing up, doesn't appear to be nervous at all. I have very gently stroked its head but I am wondering if it will be in shock!! Will we have to give it water from a syringe and how can we make it take solid food??

I cannot see any shaft left at the base therefore will the tail grow back in?

Thank you

 

[Feefo]

Are you in the UK? If so, is the pigeon a feral or a wood pigeon?

Feral pigeons can take quite a lot without suffering from shock, even severe blood loss at times. They quite often behave as if they are tame with humans because they have a lot of human contact.

Wood pigeons and collared doves are vulnerable to shock, but their reaction is to open their beaks and gasp, quite often they die if not left alone immediately when this starts.

Sometimes they lose their feathers in a cat attack (woodies and collared doves are designed to drop a ton of feathers if caught by anything) and if so will need antibiotics.

Examine his body carefully, looking for bruising or signs of a puncture wound. Also, look inside of its mouth to ensure that it is pink and healthy. Chesselike growths are a symptom of canker, blueness indicates lack of oxygen.

Don't try to syringe water into him unless you are absolutely certain that he is not drinking, but you could gently lower his beak into the water to see if that prompts him to drink. Also wait before you start force feeding him. Several feral pigeons that we rescued would sit stock still, ignoring food and water. When we put down peanuts and left them for a while we would return to find them exactly as we had left them, sitting like statues...but the peanuts had gone.

If the feathers of the tail have been completely "plucked" then they will grow back within 6 weeks.

 

[Pidgey]

Yes, it'll grow back in time. You have to worry a little bit at what did it. Something made a grab for the bird and it barely escaped with its life. If there was a puncture from a claw that gets infected, it could eventually kill the bird. As such, we like to treat these cases preventatively with Clavamox, if possible.

Pidgey

 

[Stargatews1]

Injured pigeon

Thank you for your quick reply. I "pegged" a towel around the bottom of the aviary to keep the bird warm and dark. This morning he looked very good, is walking around, drinking water and now eating the pigeon seed I bought. This afternoon he is standing on the rim of his water dish. My next question is - this aviary has no wooden spars at the bottom but has lots from the middle up, plus wooden shelving, ropes, etc. Should I leave him on the bottom or should I lift him up to one of the shelves. He can then step up onto a spar if he wants. Will he damage himself if he tries to fly down to the ground. The height is about 4ft. He looks very perky and alert so hopefully is on the mend.

Do I need to cover him in a towel before examining him? Also, as we have the two parrots, will he have any disease which would transmit to them. Obviously they won't be near one another and I will thoroughly wash my hands after handling the bird.

I don't know if it is a ferrel or wood pigeon - sorry. He looks very plump but I'm not sure if he is just plumping himself up!! I don't know a thing about pigeons. We are Scottish but now live in Spain (in the Costa Blanca area) so he has a nice temperature during the day (and night) with sunshine. I've also given him a tepid water spray!! We live on the outskirts of the town with many orchards around us - if this information can help you determine what kind of pigeon he could be. I can honestly say we don't see many pigeons at all, which is a surprise to us.

I forgot to mention! If, after the six weeks we take him into the orchards to set him free - will he survive by himself. Do we actually take him into the orchards or set him free from our house! Would he keep returning to the house for food. I don't really want this as we have three cats. They are very good around our parrots and will not touch them but I feel a bird flying low outside would be a disaster....

Many thanks again for your help.

 

[Feefo]

The European wood pigeon is called Paloma Torquas in Spain. If you look in my albums you will find photos of wood pigeons of all ages. There are also some nice photos of adults at this site: http://www.naturephoto-cz.com/wood-pigeon:columba-palumbus-photo-274.html

Juveniles don't have the white "collar", but as soon as they develop feathers they have a white wing bar. That only shows properly when their wings are open for flight, but it can be seen as a white line at the bottom of a folded wing. The adult beak is yellow as are its eyes, and the pupil is an oval. Fledgelings have bluish eyses. There are also pictures of feral pigeons in my albums.

I am wondering whether what you have is a fledgeling that hasn't learnt to fear humans, or a pigeon that someone has had raised. If you can't provide a photo can you describe it?

Unless there is some danger to the pigeon, then I would leave him on the ground until he can fly. One of our rescuers had a ramp for disabled pigeons to climb and one died as a result of jumping off the ramp, thinking that he could fly. Others did the same, landing on their keels which caused lacerations. Another broke his beak.

It is best to release a recovered rescue where you find it, early in the morning when fine weather is forecast for three days. They are safer in familiar territory.

 

[Stargatews1]

I had a look on your link but still can't determine what type of pigeon he is. I have taken three photos but I can't get behind him to show that there is no tail. There is no blood and the shaft area is a very pale pink.

First time I have tried to post pictures so not sure if they have worked.

I still haven't picked him up as he appears to be very perky now - and also nervous when I approach. Regarding whether I should lift him up to the branches, he has somehow managed to get up there on his own. He has been there all day today and sits preening himself. When I go inside the aviary to change the water dish, he hops across to the furthest away branch.

 

[Skyeking]

Thank you for caring for this pigeon.

Well....that looks like a lovely regular pigeon to me. Looks like he is enjoying a wonderful aviary, do make sure he has shelter from drafts of wind and rain and that predators can't get inside.

His tail will grow back. Pigeons can fly quite high when they want to and when they feel well.

It would be best if he could be released in a flock of pigeons who live in a pigeon friendly area with access to good food and water.

 

[Feefo]

He is very striking...I wonder how he came to be alone? He certainly found the right place to land.

Cynthia

 

[myrpalom]

I can honestly say we don't see many pigeons at all, which is a surprise to us.

I forgot to mention! If, after the six weeks we take him into the orchards to set him free - will he survive by himself.

Hello and thank you for caring for this pigeon.
Where are you on the Costa Blanca?
I am currently living in Spain for a certain while, I am around Vinaros, Costa del Azahar.
If you don't see a flock around there, the pigeon might not have the best chances to survive all alone.
If we could arrange transport until Castellon, where I have friends living who could bring the pigeon to me, I could
1)take the bird to my friends Vicente and Pilar who keep pigeons in a loft, where s/he would live a "safe life" or
2) release your pigeon here in a flock of rural ferals, who became my "amigos" because I feed them every day. The environnement is pigeon friendly, no hunters, many abandoned fincas for shelter. There is also plenty of food for them in the fields, and clean water in the "balsas"
What do other members think about this idea? Is it ok or would it be better to release the pigeon where it was found, considering that there is no flock in the neighbourhood?
Myriam/Lapalomatriste

 

[Reti]

Myriam, your options sound great. My only worry would be if the bird has a mate and would miss him. But if he is going to be released in an area with no pigeons then better get the pigeon to you somehow.

Reti

 

[Feefo]

I think your idea is excellent, Myriam.

There is the worry about the possibility of a mate , but after six weeks at this time of year the mate will most likely have found another pigeon, so one of them will be disappointed.

Cynthia

 

[myrpalom]

There is the worry about the possibility of a mate , but after six weeks at this time of year the mate will most likely have found another pigeon, so one of them will be disappointed.

Cynthia

I thought like you, Cynthia. 6 weeks is a long time, I once witnessed such a situation when one of my females came back to the loft after a 3 weeks illness, and her mate had found another female. There were heartbreaking scenes, and I had to bring her to another loft, where she depressed.
I was also thinking that if this pigeon is released in the orchard of the rescuer, there might be a chance it does not find his original flock. If it was for example chased kms and kms by a hawk, and does not have a great homing instinct, it might as well end up alone in life untill he can join another flock. There is no garantee whatever that it can find his own mate- still bachelor- back.

 

[Stargatews1]

Okay, it looks as if the best option is for us to get the pigeon to you Myriam. I have had a look on the map and I reckon it will be a 2 hour drive for us to get to Castellon. We are in Javea which is half way between Alicante & Valencia. It normally takes us just over the hour to get to Valencia. It poured and poured with rain last night so we were out half covering the aviary with clear plastic sheeting. I put a cardboard box in this morning (on its side) thinking he would we warmer lying in it - but he has managed to get to a higher spar. Would you want him after his feathers have grown in? It's no problem for him to stay in the aviary.

I have never been on a forum before and I must say what a very pleasant experience it has been. Everyone has been so helpful and I have learned a lot about pigeons. Someone said he had landed in the right garden, but we keep hearing this from our neighbours as we have taken in two dogs, three cats and one parrot. We purchased our older parrot from a breeder almost 20 years ago and the rest of our menagerie have been waifs & strays!! One of our ex neighbours from Hertfordshire wants to come back as one of our parrots as he says they eat better than him!! I think all of you are doing a very good worthwhile job and you must find this very rewarding. All your efforts have been much appreciated by my husband and me. Wilma.

 

[maryjane]

Thank you for helping this beautiful pigeon. It sounds like you have a great plan for him. I have to know, what does the WS in your name mean? As a huge Stargate fan myself the curiosity is killing me, I can't figure it out.

 

[Stargatews1]

Injured pigeon

Nothing fancy Maryjane. Instead of SG1 I just used my initials I'm very disappointed that both Stargate and Atlantis are no more!!

We had terrible rain, thunder and lightening all last night. I was worried about the pigeon and that maybe we should have put him in our outside toilet, or even in the BBQ house which is enclosed with glass curtains. However, he is fine, is now on the top spar and has been getting down to the ledge to eat his seed. Do pigeons eat anything else apart from seed - like mashed potato etc??

 

[Reti]

Seeds are fine for him to eat. You can add some lentils, split peas and barley to the seeds.

Reti

 

[myrpalom]

Okay, it looks as if the best option is for us to get the pigeon to you Myriam. I have had a look on the map and I reckon it will be a 2 hour drive for us to get to Castellon. We are in Javea which is half way between Alicante & Valencia. It normally takes us just over the hour to get to Valencia.
Would you want him after his feathers have grown in? It's no problem for him to stay in the aviary.

Hallo Wilma
Happy to help you with this pigeon!
It should be brought to Castellon (regio)
Pilar's daughter lives in Burriana, and Pili visits her daughter on a regullary base in weekends, twice a month I think.
I'll ask them to meet you somewhere around Castellon, then Pilar can bring the pidgie to her aviary in Rossell. She has 4 pigeons and 2 doves.
You can bring him before or after his feathers grow back, as you wish.
Kind regards, Myriam

 

[Stargatews1]

If you can let me know what dates she will be visiting, and also a good place to meet in Castellon, (easy to find) then maybe we can arrange a date sometime within the next say two or three weeks? I'm beginning to feel sorry for him being on his own although he is just outside the kitchen window and can see everything that is going on.

Luckily I have lentils, split peas and barley in my cupboard for soup making so I will add this to his seed.

With thanks for your help. Wilma

 

[myrpalom]

Their next visit will only be 18/19 april, so 19 april will be fine to organise a meeting.
They propose El Corte Inglés in Castellon.
Do you speak some Spanish?? They only speak Spanish and Valencian
When the time comes, I will PM you their cell phone numbers and mine, in case you have problems finding eachother, I can translate.
Sorry I cannot be there myself...
Myriam

 

[Stargatews1]

Oh dear, can it be the 18th Myriam as we have to be at Alicante airport to collect a visitor in the afternoon. We are doing nothing on the Saturday. This may make it more difficult to meet at El Corte Inglés?

We can speak 'pigeon' Spanish - pardon the pun! No Valenciano though, only Castellano. So long as you ask them to speak clearly and slowly. Sorry we will not be able to meet with you. Yes, will exchange phone numbers later. Wilma