Today when feeding my two pigeons one got spooked and escaped the loft. I had put their food in a paper cone to pour it into their bowl because I couldn't find what I usually use, it scared them and one escaped, I should have know better. I called her name and held out my arm and she hovered for a second six feet away and thought about coming to me but flew on the building across the street. It was an hour and a half before sun down. I spent the rest of the day calling her with my whistle which I use at feed time, they know what it means. She hung around flying around a while then I lost sight of her. There's a flock of ferrals here so I can't tell who's who. I have had her and her hen bird friend for 5 months or so in a little loft on my balcony. They are convinced they are a couple and are very close. They are also very close to me and very tame with me and treat me as a mate also. They are ferral pigeons that fell from nests I've looked after since babies. They love their loft which has a trap which they know how to use. This is her first time out and Its not how this was supposed to happen. I'm really upset. I love her a lot. Today is a really ****ed up day. Trying to have faith she will come back. What do you guys think? Will she return?
Pigeon spooked escaped loft
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I hope your right, she has more reasons to return than to not return. She loves her friend/mate P.J, she loves me, she loves her loft and she loves her food. My last two birds and only other attempt at this sort of thing didn't return but that was quite different. They had a very small make shift loft that they did not like being in at all, all they would do is try to get out and pace back and forth. And they where not tame, and not paired up quite like these two. They hung around a few days but decided not to return. These guys have a really nice little loft and are very content in there. Love sitting on their v perches and stirring each other up laying eggs and making nests. They only try to get out if they want to fly to me and sit on me or if it's raining they want to bust out so they can have a wash. It's now early morning and I'm blowing the whistle pissing off my neighbours I imagine (sorry neighbours) she hasn't returned. The landing board is out and she can come through the trap if she returns. I have to sleep now. Hopefully I wake up and she's in the loft. Thanks for the reply
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They are a living GPS devices and she will return for food, mate and her area where she feels safe. It happens very often that they are missing almost 48 hours and then get back. Check her right away for pigeon fly and spray for external parasites. Pigeons tend to find feral friends and sleep in a bunch and get all kinds of nasties in the feathers
but nothing one good spray can't fix A few bugs would be the least of my worries. I have some spray. Hope your right. I'm worried but trying to relax and have some faith. Thanks for the reassurance and replyThey are a living GPS devices and she will return for food, mate and her area where she feels safe. It happens very often that they are missing almost 48 hours and then get back. Check her right away for pigeon fly and spray for external parasites. Pigeons tend to find feral friends and sleep in a bunch and get all kinds of nasties in the feathers
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I have cried my eyes out for quite a few pigeons that returned two days later landing on my shoulders and devouring food from my hand. And then proceed to sleep for two next days not mooving 1 m away from food and water. I wish you best of luck, and I know it is very hard for you, but remain positive.
I've also shed many tears over pigeons, haha. I'm too dam sensitive and get too attached to them. They're my best friends. I'll stay positive. Thanks again
To top it all off someone complained about my birds. I had a bird net enclosing my balcony and was letting them out of the loft and calling them back in for food so they became familiar with being outside the loft and coming back in, sitting on the roof of the loft and what not. The real-estate called and said someone has complained that I'm " trapping pigeons " on my balcony. Tryna be all authorative and tough on the phone, coming tomorrow for an inspection. I'm calling first thing in the morning and telling them I have COVID and I'm self isolating so they can piss off for a week. Give Onyx time to return before I hide the loft and birds at my neighbours place for the day, when they return for the inspection
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You've had birds disappear for a few days and return haven't you? When you do soft releases?
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Yes, I have. Not only pigeons, but also redeyed doves. When released, the male stayed in the garden. But the female took flight and flew very high and away. I thought that was it. But she returned after 3 days, very hungry. Was so nice when the two joined up again in the garden. Right now I have a speckled pigeon that was missing for a couple of days. Twice now she returned, only in the morning to eat. Obviously she found another food source. Just so nice when they start adapting to living outdoors.
My ferals and ex-racers have a seperate aviary, and they can free-fly outside. Although they spend most of their time inside the aviary.
My ferals and ex-racers have a seperate aviary, and they can free-fly outside. Although they spend most of their time inside the aviary.
I see. I've read more than once on here about pigeons returning after 3 days or so, and a few people tell me the same thing. One person said even longer and their bird returned. Just looking fo
r reassurance I guess. I'm staying positive for now. Hope to see her soon
Hi, I'm sorry to hear about your bird..
As I wrote yesterday in another thread sometimes miracles could happen!
Last summer accidentally my PMV pigeon Marshall flew away: something scared him (he easily gets in panic) and he flew against the mosquito door... The door suddenly opened and he found himself on the balcony. It was Friday morning. We all got desperate. In 2021 he had his symptoms back in a very violent way (seizures which looked like epileptic fits, etc). We wondered: what if the symptoms come back because of stress and fear of being outside (with cars, tram, seagulls, people, etc)...
We started to look for him around the neighborhood. We spotted him in different places in the neighborhood: on the sidewalk, on two different buildings, on the balcony of a person who feeds pigeons, at the beach (he looked very scared!).
His wife Apple started to look very sad, on Sunday she barely ate...
On Monday morning he came back home!!! We found him on our balcony: a real miracle!
We are absolutely sure he found the way to come back home for his wife Apple! They love soo much each other and support each other in all situations.
So be positive and strong. Sometimes miracles could happen!
As I wrote yesterday in another thread sometimes miracles could happen!
Last summer accidentally my PMV pigeon Marshall flew away: something scared him (he easily gets in panic) and he flew against the mosquito door... The door suddenly opened and he found himself on the balcony. It was Friday morning. We all got desperate. In 2021 he had his symptoms back in a very violent way (seizures which looked like epileptic fits, etc). We wondered: what if the symptoms come back because of stress and fear of being outside (with cars, tram, seagulls, people, etc)...
We started to look for him around the neighborhood. We spotted him in different places in the neighborhood: on the sidewalk, on two different buildings, on the balcony of a person who feeds pigeons, at the beach (he looked very scared!).
His wife Apple started to look very sad, on Sunday she barely ate...
On Monday morning he came back home!!! We found him on our balcony: a real miracle!
We are absolutely sure he found the way to come back home for his wife Apple! They love soo much each other and support each other in all situations.
So be positive and strong. Sometimes miracles could happen!
Glad you got him back, I'd like to think it's likely she will come back and not so unlikely that it would be a miracle if she returned, her home is here, her mate is here and food is here so while it's possible she could decide not to return, it seems likely that she will. And that's what most people tell me. She's not an indoors bird, she lives in her loft outside so she knows her surroundings well
I'm sorry, I only wanted to instill a bit of optimism because I imagine how you feel now.
When he disappeared I felt very scared and worried even if I know that pigeons have an excellent homing instinct (as we humans know well). The first day we did not spot him anywhere and I felt so hopeless.
I thought that the story of Marshall could encourage you in staying positive because when I was at your place I felt so distressed.
I live in a neighborhood full of dangers (traffic, seagulls, tram, etc) and Marshall is a PMV pigeon (in 2021 for a whole week he had his symptoms back in a horrible way: epileptic fits, he was all twisted and stiffed, etc). I really consider his return a miracle and I am very grateful for that.
The fact that your bird is not an indoor bird and that she knows well the surroundings are surely great advantages! Also the love for PJ will be her guidelight!
When he disappeared I felt very scared and worried even if I know that pigeons have an excellent homing instinct (as we humans know well). The first day we did not spot him anywhere and I felt so hopeless.
I thought that the story of Marshall could encourage you in staying positive because when I was at your place I felt so distressed.
I live in a neighborhood full of dangers (traffic, seagulls, tram, etc) and Marshall is a PMV pigeon (in 2021 for a whole week he had his symptoms back in a horrible way: epileptic fits, he was all twisted and stiffed, etc). I really consider his return a miracle and I am very grateful for that.
The fact that your bird is not an indoor bird and that she knows well the surroundings are surely great advantages! Also the love for PJ will be her guidelight!
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I hope she will return.
I did wild bird rescue for a very long time and recovered many feral pigeons.
The longest time any bird was "lost" was 3 months! Yes. This was a male I supposed will never return. He stopped sleeping on the balcony but returned for food every day. One day he just stopped and did not showed again for almost 3 months. I supposed the worst but after 3 months he returned on the feeder. He was a regular for another few months before again disappearing.
I don't know the full situation of your birds but it is possible for a female to join a group and stay with them for longer periods. the only issue is that sometimes they tend to become more feral, the longer they are away. But pigeons are amazing and very intelligent.
Best wishes to you.
I did wild bird rescue for a very long time and recovered many feral pigeons.
The longest time any bird was "lost" was 3 months! Yes. This was a male I supposed will never return. He stopped sleeping on the balcony but returned for food every day. One day he just stopped and did not showed again for almost 3 months. I supposed the worst but after 3 months he returned on the feeder. He was a regular for another few months before again disappearing.
I don't know the full situation of your birds but it is possible for a female to join a group and stay with them for longer periods. the only issue is that sometimes they tend to become more feral, the longer they are away. But pigeons are amazing and very intelligent.
Best wishes to you.
Basically I got them both when they where very young, one I found that had fallen from a nest that I couldn't reach to put back, and the other I found oddly walking in the street late at night with no parents in sight and an empty crop. I kept them in my home and looked after them while I built a nice little loft for them which I keep on my balcony sitting on two saw horses. I live on the 4th floor of an apartment building in the city with a large balcony. Within almost an arm's reach from my balcony is the corner of the roof top of an old sandstone heratige listed basically adbandoned post office, which is home to a large flock of ferrals pigeons, sometimes a couple come onto my balcony to visit the loft and eat any seeds that my birds flick out onto the ground, or sometimes one will just sit by the loft and watch my birds. The loft has one half enclosed with plywood, the side their v perches are, where they are sheltered from the weather, and the other has a mesh face where they get some sun and watch their pigeon neighbours and watch for predators. If something alarms the ferral flock my birds follow suite and are also alarmed and seek safety. They have learned the way of the ferrals by watching them and are quite street smart I beleive. They're very fond of each other and are a pair although they're both females, and they are also very fond of me and will fly to me if something startles them, or fly to me and sit on me following me around the apartment when I bring them inside. The loft has a trap and they are trap trained. They're both strong healthy birds and about 5 months old. I also enclosed my balcony with bird netting for a few days so they couldn't escape when I let the out of the loft, so they learned to sit on the roof of the loft, and hang out around it and learn the concept of being completely outside the loft and then coming back inside for food. I feed them at sunrise and sundown and blow a whistle each time I feed them so I can call them in the loft. They understand very well that it's food time when they hear it. I've been calling Onyx with the whistle but she hasn't returned as of yet. Today marks four days since she left. It's rained on and off a little so there's water in the gutters of the building rooftops that the ferrals all drink from which is good, Im sure she's having a drink and pecking around the streets with her new friends. Birds of prey are not much of a factor where I live. Only cats, which are only out at night for the most part. Which doesn't really concern me. Onyx is smart and a big strong powerful bird that's pretty cautious, as are all the ferrals. That's the situation of my birds anyway. I'll just have to wait and see whether she returns. I'm certain she's just having too much fun flying with her new friends to return at this point. I've had birds in the past do the same thing. When you watch them for long enough you see pigeons do all kinds of crazy completely unnecessary acrobatics in the sky and you can tell they're just having fun and enjoying flying. It's quite funny and amusing to watch. Anyway. Fingers crossed she comes back. Only time will tell
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