# Stringfoot Advice



## flite (Sep 5, 2020)

When reading in the park with my dog I noticed a large flock of pigeons. Upon closer inspection I noticed a bunch of them tragically had string/wire/hair/etc. wrapped around their feet, greatly impacting their mobility. A quick google search and I found out that helping pigeons with stringfoot is a thing! So I purchased a dissection kit with small scissors and tweezers, some antiseptic spray, some bird food, and gave it a shot. I've caught and released 6 pigeons in the last month or so and I really enjoy helping them.

My question concerns a pigeon that is by far worse off than all of the others. So much so that it's likely not coming up close to me to get food simply because it can't contend with all the other stronger pigeons. Its feet are mangled from the extremely tightly wound fibers and its two legs are actually tethered together, preventing it from even walking. There is of course no way I'll be able to get close to this pigeon myself without it flying away, so I have no means of actually getting within 'striking distance' to pick it up.

Does anyone have any advice on how to catch a pigeon that won't get remotely close to you? Perhaps there is some sort of bird trap I could lay with food in it, and remotely trigger it myself when the bird steps inside of it? I wouldn't want it going off for any old pigeon. I'm also concerned with finding something that could safely trap the bird, but do so without harming it. Any ideas or product recommendations from those with much more experience with this than me would be much appreciated. Thanks.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

You can try a large fishing net with a long handle. Sneek up behind the pigeon while he is eating and quickly lower the net over him. Otherwise, if you have a a large crate (or laundry basket), you can balance the one end on a 30 cm long wooden stick. Tie a long rope to the stick and watch from a distance. When the pigeon is underneath the crate, you can pull the rope and the crate will fall down. You might catch a few other pigeons in the process, so best to use something that you can see through to grab the pigeon.


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## Frank2620 (Feb 7, 2017)

I used a box trap. You know-- the kind that's made from a box propped up by a stick with a pile of bait underneath. You tie a string to the stick keep yourself at a distance from the trap. When your prey inevitably comes to eat your irresistible bait, you yank the string and trap it.

You can google , box and string trap .

Best of luck ,

Frank


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Reading your post, I actually forgot the most important part. Yes, the food should go under the crate for the pigeon to go there. Hope you can catch him.


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## SillyPigeonLady (Sep 30, 2020)

Not sure if this will work because you say you can't get close to it (despite its inability to walk - sorry for my confusion). A dark colored tshirt is a great trap but you have to get it over its head. The darkness calms them down completely and unless it's injured you won't hurt it by picking it up.


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