Non-Flying Pigeon In My SummerHouse

Status
Not open for further replies.
CandyFloss

CandyFloss

Senior Guinea Pig
Joined
Jan 25, 2010
Messages
8,216
Reaction score
20
Points
695
Location
Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK
I've had a pigeon in my garden all day which cant fly. It can walk okay and can walk up the hill at the back of the garden but cant get any lift to fly off. When it tries to fly it just ends up somewhere lower.

The dogs almost got it earlier but I caught them in time (it panicked....flew off the hill and landed in front of them rolleyes) . :( Its been here all day and cant join its pals on my roof for overnight. There are foxes around here at night.

Its bright enough and eating but cant get any lift when flying.

I was going to put it up my tree but put the guinea pig run and roof in the summerhouse, grabbed the pigeon and popped it in.... it has some hay to snuggle in, a box with scrunched up paper (not sure why but maybe to nest in), a low heavy bowl of water, some nuts and a suet seed ball.

It seems fine apart from the flying. It doesnt appear stressed to be inside at all.

Any suggestions? I cant leave it in the summerhouse tomorrow in case it gets too hot and I have work to go to.... so I thought I would pop it back into the garden so it could pass the day like today and try to heal its flying problem ? My dogs wont be around..... but there may be cats ? foxes ?

Other options are obviously vet ? rspb ? Not sure they'd 'bother' with a pigeon and ideally I would like it back in the 'wild' ....well wilds of Glasgow asap....

Any thoughts ?

x
 
What about calling that bird sanctuary we visited for advice? Maybe they would take it, if it doesn't start flying soon they had pigeons when we were there.
 
No harm in trying - we had one at work that couldn't find it's way out so we fed it until someone caught and released it. I was sooo relieved as the bosses had threatened to call Rentokil :)>>>
Maybe check out some stuff on the net ?/
The RSPCA couldn't help us as I tried to ring them.
 
I know on 2 occassions when I've been at the vets people have brought in an injured bird, the vets have looked and assessed the damage but unfortunatly on both counts the birds have had broken wings and they have had to be put to sleep. It's probably worth just phoning and asking for advise.
 
Thanks.....duh... I hadnt thought of that place.... she's in and happy (actually does seem happy) and safe for the night. .... I will see how she is in the morning....certainly doesnt seem ill and should be comfortable overnight.... Just checked on her and she's on top of the cardboard box I put into the run (she is able to hop up things although not fly).....

Could give them a call in the morning - thanks :)

x
 
Guinea pig slave said:
I've just found this:
http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/health/faqs.aspx
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for finding this. This section appears to apply to my situation:
---------------------
I have an injured bird in my garden, what should I do?
For most injured birds, place them gently in a box and keep them quiet, dark and cool. It may be that the bird is in shock and will soon recover so you can let it go. If it is more seriously injured, this will reduce stress on the bird until you can get advice on how you can help it.

The RSPB does not have bird hospitals or a rescue service because we are a conservation charity. The RSPCA, your local vet or a local animal rescue centre, have the expertise to help and advise you about sick and injured birds and animals.

---------------------

So I think it should be safe and okay in my summerhouse 'pen' overnight. Its not in shock but that gives me the time to check out vets or animal rescue centres. The keeping it cool is important too as I need to think about the heat that the summerhouse may get up to tomorrow - its not sun facing but still heats up. I have a rescue centre and a vet in mind so thats a start. Its fairly tame (well it cant fly so not much choice) so easy enough to transport. Its not ill so I dont want to take it to a vet that puts it down....it just cant fly....at the moment.... but obviously flew here (doesnt look like a baby)

Thanks for your help...will update this post with progress :))

x
 
Do you know if it's a wild pigeon or a 'pet' one?

A couple of years ago I found an injured blackbird and called the RSPCA for advice. They told me that there was some kind of agreement in place which meant that I could take the bird to my local Vet (with a reference number the RSPCA gave me) and the Vet was then obligated to treat the bird, at no cost to me. I see you're in Scotland so the RSPCA doesn't apply in this case but I'm just wondering if the SSPCA has a similar kind of arrangement with Scottish vets perhaps?

The SSPCA has a wildlife rescue centre which might be able to advise you further, over the phone, even if it's too far to actually take the bird to them:
http://www.scottishspca.org/rehoming/centres/11_wildlife-rescue-centre

Just wanted to add...if you can find a wildlife rescue then I'd definitely try them first, rather than a regular Vet. The bird I took to the Vet was pts and I can't help wondering if they'd realy tried their best. They really didn't seem interested and, without any specialist knowledge or facilities to keep injured wild birds, I reckon they took the easiest option for themselves, rather than the best thing for the bird. I felt dreadful when I later discovered that I live within very easy reach of the amazing Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital (in Aylesbury), which are geared up for this type of scenario and would've done absolutely everything they possibly could to help the bird.....but sadly I'd never heard of Tiggywinkles at the time. :(

Sounds like this pigeon might be in relatively good shape, so good luck!
 
There was an injured pigeon on my doorstep so my neighbour called the RSPCA and they came and collected it. They just asked that it was contained so they could just collect it incase it disappeared on their way.
 
It could be that the pigeon is just tired or it may have flew into something, I'm sure you said you put it in your summer house, then the best thing to do is just leave it there over night with a bit of water incase its dehydrated and then see if it will fly off in the morning. My sister in law once found a racing pigeon on her doorstep, she was able to ring the owner as it had his number on its ring, he just asked her to keep him in the cat box she had put him in over night with some water and to try letting him go in the morning, which she did and he flew off, turned out he was just tired, maybe yours is the same. The RSPCA I think just put injured 'city' pigeons to sleep as they are seen as 'vermin', other wild breeds like wood pigeons are passed on to wildlife hospitals.
 
CandyFloss said:
I have an injured bird in my garden, what should I do?
For most injured birds, place them gently in a box and keep them quiet, dark and cool. It may be that the bird is in shock and will soon recover so you can let it go.
Click to expand...
I have two stories related to this:
1. My son and I found a shocked, stunned pigeon in the shade in Kapiolani Park on Oahu in Hawaii. I picked it up, and it died right then of fright from my picking it up. I should have left it alone in its peace and shade.
2. I saw a bird fly into a storefront and he was stunned and could not fly, so I scooped him up, put him in a paper bag, and took him to my nearby cousin who tended to wild animals. I said, "I have something for you," opened the bag, and the bird flew away.

The morals of these stories are, stunned, tired birds need exactly quiet and darkness to recover, and if that is all that is wrong with them, they will recover. We never think of animals being tired, but they do get that way, and maybe that is all that is wrong with this bird as he appears to be well in every other way. I wouldn't leave him out in the open while you are gone, though. What I would do in a pinch if it were my foundling is to take the puppy divider that came with Red's cage and leave him on one side and temporarily put the bird in the other. If you could gin up an arrangement like that, the birdie would be OK until you found the solution.
 
Thanks everyone for the suggestions, experiences, links and information.

It will be light soon and I will check on the pigeon once its light - it could well be just tired but did try to fly.... could flap but just not get lift.

First thing I will do is see if it can fly off this morning.

One option I have is to put it in a hutch I have in the garden which I can attach the GP run to. This should keep it safe while I am at work.....as long as a fox/cat cant knock the top off the run.... I could cable tie it though..mmh

Fingers crossed it just flies off :))

I dont know if its wild or racing but didnt notice a ring - will check though

Thanks again

xx
 
Good news (I hope). Pigeon was sitting happy this morning in the summerhouse. Didn't even peck me when I picked it up. I put it on top of the summerhouse to see if it could fly and it made it onto the roof of my house so fingers crossed for it.

Will see if its plodding about the garden again later when I get home but that seemed to be a good sign. There's water out, peanuts and a flour tortilla (just what was handy lol)

Thanks everyone for their help

x
 
yay to flying! sometimes I think they just get tired and after a rest they can fly off as normal
 
Yes, I hope so ..... was quite a laid back pigeon - not stressed out by being inside overnight or by being picked up.

I will look for her tonight in case she (or he) is back and having problems but hopefully she'll be okay

xx
 
If it's a homing pigeon even if it flies you're likely to have it home to you now if you've been looking after it. They don't always have rings on them - if it'll let you gently open its wings and check there - many pigeon owners stamp their phone number on the wings. This happened to us a few years ago - we called the guy up (it was homing from the North of Scotland to Wales!) and he sent an animal courier for it.
 
Good news is there was no sign of it when I got home and no sign of feathers or anything either so hopefully its okay. Thats good to know about the stamping of phone numbers - I had no idea they did that - but if I get into this situation again at least I know things to look for.

xx
 
PHEW that's great news :)
Well done for your TLC xx>>>xx>>>...... i hope he/she comes and visits you one day maybe with their family x)
 
The non-flying pigeon is back...... and overnighting in my summerhouse again.... in fact it seemed happy to be going in there and had some peanuts.

No sign of phone numbers or anything on it. It was huddled up against my patio doors when I got home (probably felt safer there). It looks like one wing doesnt open up like the other one when it flaps.

Tomorrow we are off to a wildlife rescue centre - they've said they will check it over for me - they might keep it if they can offer it something - will see what happens when we get there.

x
 
Glad someone is able to help you :)

When I found a pigeon with a broken wing I called SSPCA who gave me advice x
 
Well I saw it lying on the pavement when I was driving home. I pulled over and called them and they asked me to take home pop it in abox and someone would come pick it up.

Although it couldn't fly I was rubbish at picking it up. Fortunately a passer by got it in the car for me. Back home I set it up in a box with water and hay. I had the vet about an hour later for one of my piggies and my rabbit and just as I was leaving an officer called and said she was on her way. I said I was on my way to vets. I described how he looked (wing hanging down on one side and lying on its chest). She asked me to take it off to the vet and they could examine him but if the wing was broken he would be PTS :( Sadly never found out what happened but I am pretty sure it was broken.

So sounds like you are doing all the right things :)
 
Thanks for the info TwoPiggies - I hope its wing is not broken.... since they cull pigeons in citys I'm scared to take it to a vets. Its wing does go up but not as high as the other one. Hopefully the wildlife rescue centre can help - they seemed helpful on the phone - I was at their open day in the summer and saw their setup so fingers crossed,

Thanks for replying TwoPiggies and for trying to help with a poor pigeon too :)

xx
 
Just thought I would update you all on the pigeon. I took him/her to the local(ish) wildlife rescue centre last Wednesday morning. They examined the pigeon and thought one wing (the one it couldnt lift fully but could still flap and pull in) seemed swollen at the top (and warmer) than the other. Also, the ok wing seemed to have some scabs under it like peck marks. They kept it in.

I phoned for updates later that day and again on Saturday (he/she has a patient number there which seemed really well organised). The pigeon is now in a small cage resting. Its eating and drinking well and is on antibiotics but it all looks very promising for the pigeon.

I thought when it was well enough that I could go back for it and release it in my garden again where its lived for about 6 months, with its friends, who are still here, but the people at the rescue said pigeons are not terratorial and it doesnt matter where they are released - anyone got any views on this ? I automatically thought releasing at the site they were found would be best but I dont have any real experience of this.

Anyway all looking good for Mr/Ms Pigeon and he/she should recover well :)

x
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top