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Wild Pigeon Rescue (please help)

Shilpa

Sprinting down the street
Joined
11/27/20
Messages
327
Location
Wisconsin
Real Name
Shilpa
Hi! So I took in a baby pigeon that fell out of her nest about a week ago. I saw her in the morning at 10 and she was still there at 5 pm. She couldn't fly and she still had those dry yellow feathers from when she was a baby. I know you shouldn't interfere with nature but there are many stray dogs and cats where I live and I have seen half eaten pigeon carcasses before so I really didn't want to risk it. I started feeding her a health mix mixed with water (she couldn't eat seeds in the beginning) and she slowly started getting energetic. We've hit many milestones from then. She can now eat seeds and she can fly short distances (from the floor to a chair or something like that). Once, she flew all the way up to the ceiling fan (we turn it off whenever she's out, regardless of whether she can fly or not). So basically, she has almost everything she needs to survive outside. I'm just worried about the fact that she trusts humans to a level now though. When I rescued her, she tried so much to run away but now she stays in place even if guests come over or go near her. She also relies on us to feed her and she only eats well from my hand. The only time she eats from a bowl or the floor is if she's starving. Even today, I refused to feed her since I can't keep pampering her and she ran under the sofa. When I fed her, she ate but when I took my hand away she ran back under the sofa. She also flew up to me onto my lap (how I used to syringe feed her when she was a baby) when she was hungry today even though her food bowl was right next to her. Eventually she ate. After 3 hours. I'm worried that she's too dependent on humans and trusts us too much to be ready for release. Any advice? I was planning on taking her out tomorrow just to test if she can fly and if she goes away, great. If not, we'll keep her until she's ready but I thought I should ask about this before I do anything stupid. Reminder: she can fly a little bit, she can eat on her own (only if she's really hungry) and lately, she's been a little more reluctant of me touching her and a bit more scared of guests so that's a good sign. Please help me... I really want to help this baby!

By the way, I don't know if the bird is a "she" or a "he". I just say "she" because it feels right.
 

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Sodapop&Co.

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/4/18
Messages
2,013
Location
CA, North America, Planet Earth
Real Name
Sarah
Thanks for helping this sweet bird!!! Pigeons are wonderful. I'm gonna tag @Birdbabe to find out what she thinks. Chances are if there is an established pigeon flock this bird would integrate with them and learn the necessary skills for survival (once she's old enough; at this stage I don't think she's independent enough even though she can fly a little), but it would probably be a gamble. Is it possible for you to keep her or maybe find another home for her?
 

Shilpa

Sprinting down the street
Joined
11/27/20
Messages
327
Location
Wisconsin
Real Name
Shilpa
Thanks for replying :)
So there is a huge pigeon flock at the apartment where I live and all of them live in these little spaces above the fan in the bathroom (on the outside) and there are pigeon nests in almost every space. I would guess that there are about 40 pigeons but I'm not sure.
I agree with you and I wouldn't say she's independent at all but recently there's been an improvement in her behaviour. She chooses to spill the food from her bowl and eat it off the floor rather than me feeding her. Just noticed that this morning. And she does fly across the room it looks like, I forgot to mention that. She just doesn't get a grip on the tile floor but if she's put on the sofa or something she does take off and fly.
As for keeping her, I would love to but I can only keep her until the end of this week. I have these huge exams coming up and I can't take care of her when I'm busy studying. I could keep her but I definitely won't be able to provide her with the care she needs. I could try asking someone though.
 

Shilpa

Sprinting down the street
Joined
11/27/20
Messages
327
Location
Wisconsin
Real Name
Shilpa
Update: I took her outside today. She showed no interest in flying away :(
 
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