[Guest]

Hello,
I've been watching a young (not a baby) mourning dove who somehow made it into my enclosed back patio (where I have a bird feeder) but can't make it back out. He clearly can't yet fly very well yet. For the first 2 days, he seemed ok--had energy, was eating, seemed in good spirits. I heard other mourning doves cooing at him from my roof and the trees around my house, so I assumed his mother was looking out for him. Now, on the third day (he's had full access to food and water), after some unavoidable trips out to the patio on my part, he's just been sitting on a covered recycling container and seems much less happy and energetic. He can maneuver well enough to avoid crash landing if he starts out with some height, but seems completely unable to take off on his own.

It's about 50 degrees out at night and he has protection from rain, wind, and predators, but I'm afraid he might be getting cold. He's eating still, fortunately, and I assume drinking, but I'm also concerned that he's so traumatized by being stuck and scared that he's losing ground.

The wildlife rehabber I contacted suggested that I just leave him alone for a few days, since he'd probably be able to take off on his own, but that hasn't happened. Any thoughts?

 

[Charis]

Please pick him up and bring him inside. It feels like something isn't right with him

 

[mhchesnut]

I've just been advised by another wildlife rescuer near Baltimore to leave him alone for a while longer. We have cats, so bringing him inside would be slightly problematic, but not impossible. (I've read all the wonderful material on this site about how to care for a sick or injured pigeon/dove.) I'm just afraid it would be a heck of a lot of stress if all he needs is to have a few quiet days to regain his confidence. -Mary

 

[Charis]

I respectlyfully disagree with the rehabber that advised you.

If an adult bird can't fly now, it isn't going to just do so on it's own by just watching it a bit longer.
The very best then, Mary, would be to take the bird to the rehabber.
If you have a cat kennel, the kind you'd take them to the vet in, that would work as a temporary cage until you can take him to the rehabber. It would keep him safe from the cats. If he can't fly, he isn't going to get any better without intervention and he may likely succumb to a night time predator.
If you find a pile of feathers in the morning or no bird at all, you will feel terrible.