NEED ANSWERS ASAP! Bird might die? I found a bird I thought was a pigeon…?
July 2, 2010 by
Filed under Concrete Bird Baths
It was infront of a bookstore. I walked up to it about three inches away and didn’t even notice until it chirped. Not cooed. But chirped. Like an Easter chick toy.
I picked it up, it let me, and it just sat in one hand, I didn’t have to hold on tight. So i took it home and put it in a cage. KNowing it was a pigeon I took the bars out of the bottom of the cage so it could stand on the plastic bottom like it would on concrete and tried to make it comfortable.
Well he won’t eat or drink or make a single noise. He sits in the bottom of the cage. I’m worried about dehydration?
If it is a pigeon, it was wild, could it be a sickness? Do I need to just let it go and get it out of my home? It’s not hurt.
Okay. I let the bird go almost as soon as I posted this. I knew I should just let him go and guess I needed to hear someone else had the same opinion. I took him outside and let him go and he sat and stared at me. I picked him up and gave him a light toss, he flew himself into the wall and slid down it, flapping his wings. I left him out there for an hour, deciding it was safer for me and my boyfriend and other pets to do so.
I came back out an hour later and the bird is fluffed up, leaning against my door. There’s something wrong and I won’t have a phone for another three hours (the boyfriend took the cell) so Im just curious what I should do until then.
I really don’t want him in here and can’t call a Society for another three hours. Any ideas?
let it go
I think you need to let it go it needs to be free so she can get alof of fresh air and so she can heal herself…
There was a reason it was on the sidewalk. I would call a local shelter or some kind of animal rescue place that takes in “wild” animals. I knwo in some areas they have volunteers that do that kind of stuff.
Who knows how long he has gone without water and food before you found him. And just becuase you can’t see any injuries, doesn’t mean he doesn’t have any. He may have fallen and have internal injuries.
Sorry but it does sound like its sick.
Keep it in a covered box – warm, dark & quiet.
Let is pass away quietly.
Call a bird shelter if there is one near you – they will come and get it although it will possibly die anyway.
Well done for trying to save it.
Two Words
BIRD FLU.
Don’t mess with sick birds!!!!
Check your yellow pages for a Wildlife Rescue or call your local Humane Society to see if they can help you or refer you to another agency that can assist.
Releasing it won’t do any good, and just leaving it to die in your house isn’t humane either.
You can also look up avian vets in your area and see if they would take in wildlife. If the bird is sick at suffering, at the very least they can humanely euthanize the bird so it’s no longer suffering. This might be difficult for you, however, know that you did the right thing and save this bird from being caught by a predator and dying a horrible death.
Hopefully the bird will be okay though
)
Best of luck.
Assuming this bird is an adult, yes there is something certainly wrong. Any wild animal that lets you “pick it up” is seriously injured externally or internally. With pigeons I most commonly see them stunned by being hit by a car, most die within two days so if it was near a busy street that is a very likely answer. In the city I also get a lot of pigeons that have been poisoned by people who view them as vermin; most toxins given will cause them to have seizures for one to three days before dying. If you begin to see this please contact a veterinarian as most will kindly euthanize the animal to aleviate suffering. On the other hand I have had many, many adult birds (probably stunned by cars as they usually don’t fly into windows like other song birds) just need warmth, water, and rest. You can cover the cage with a dark towel to comfort the bird and place very small pieces of whole wheat (NOT white) bread that has been soaked in water in a corner of the cage. If the bird gets flustered in the cage at any point you may want to move him to a large cardboard box as the box can do less damage to their wings. You can also try to put a drop or two of water on the side of his beak with your finger to see if he will swallow (but don’t push it)… Do not show yourself to the bird any more than necessary although most city pigeons are very used to humans and some find us comforting (most don’t and are frightened). Also, for your own knowledge you have mostly nothing to worry about as long as you wash your hands before and after handling the bird (and have no other birds in your house..or at least separated from this one)… the worst most of these birds carry are worms that are truly not easily transmitted. (bird flu as mentioned above usually kills them much quicker and in colonies). Good luck with him .
Sorry, pigletsmom, I meant to do a thumbs up!! I’m sorry!!
I agree with Piglet’s mom!!
Baby birds fledge (leave the nest) several days before they start to fly. They hop around on the ground, and they climb on low branches until their wings are strong enough for them to fly. The parent birds continue to feed and care for the fledglings until they are self-sufficient. If the bird has most of his feathers, leave him alone (or if you have already taken him, put him back.)
If the baby has mostly fuzz, he is not ready to fledge. Try to put him back in the nest. Do not worry about your scent being on him. It won’t bother the mother. Wildlife biologists take baby peregrine falcons out of the nest to test them and band them, and they handle them with their bare hands. When they put the babies back in the nest, mom never rejects them. You can see photos here: http://www.wbu.com/chipperwoods/photos/perefalcon.htm
If, for any reason, you can not get him back in the nest and you are afraid that the neighborhood cats might get him, call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. You should be able to find one here: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact.htm
Licensed wildlife rehabilitators have the specialized training to care for sick, injured and orphaned wild animals, and they have the required state and federal licenses that allow them to keep the wild animals until they are healthy enough to be released.
Do not take the animal to a vet – vets are for pets, and most vets do not have the expertise to care for wild animals; nor do most vets have the proper licenses that would allow them to keep a recuperating wild animal.
In the US, all native migratory birds are protected under federal law (Migratory Bird Treaty Act), and it is illegal to keep any protected bird unless you have the required permits. Penalties for violating this law include up to $500 and/or up to 6 months in jail for each offense. http://ipl.unm.edu/cwl/fedbook/mbta.html
Many other countries have similar laws pursuant to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which is an international treaty, protecting their native species.
If you are positive that it is a pigeon, it would not be covered under the Act, but a pigeon does not chirp. A baby or fledgling pigeon might squeak a bit, but it would not chirp.
try to see if its ok. if it can fly, let it go. if it can’t, try to take care of it as best as u can. maybe see a vet?
I wouldn’t let him go if I were you, he could get attacked by a cat or something else.
Try this link
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/index.php
joined it 2 years ago, has a lotta info.
Assuming this is a pigeon, please join our discussion board at http://www.pigeons.biz/forums. We have many members who are experienced and knowledgeable pigeon rescuers/rehabbers and fanciers. This bird definitely should not just be put back outside. It is either a youngster that is not yet old enough to be flying well and possibly not old enough to be self feeding or drinking. It could also be an injured or ill adult. The risk of you catching a disease from a pigeon are minimal. In what general area are you located? We may have someone in your area that could assist the pigeon.
Terry