# Just leave it?



## Becca199212 (May 10, 2007)

At my mams work there was a post on the notice board asking if anyone knew anything about fantail doves so she rsng her and asked what was up. My mam doesn't know muc about them but she knew that whatever was happeneing I could probably help or else find help and it turns out the woman has one single fantail dove come to her house everyday, it eats out of her hand and comes into the house etc but goes away at night and she wants us to catch it and put it in our aivary! 

I have no idea why she says she is worried about it and wants it where she knows it is safe. I'm unsure of weather or not we should do this, Ihaven't saw the bird so I don't know if it has a ring on but I would think it belongs to someone. I will ask my grandad to take me to have a look. If we don't catch it she is going to get someone else to so I wonder if it would be better for us to have it than it going to someone who may harm it.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Becca199212 said:


> At my mams work there was a post on the notice board asking if anyone knew anything about fantail doves so she rsng her and asked what was up. My mam doesn't know muc about them but she knew that whatever was happeneing I could probably help or else find help and it turns out the woman has one single fantail dove come to her house everyday, it eats out of her hand and comes into the house etc but goes away at night and she wants us to catch it and put it in our aivary!
> 
> I have no idea why she says she is worried about it and wants it where she knows it is safe. I'm unsure of weather or not we should do this, Ihaven't saw the bird so I don't know if it has a ring on but I would think it belongs to someone. I will ask my grandad to take me to have a look. If we don't catch it she is going to get someone else to so I wonder if it would be better for us to have it than it going to someone who may harm it.



Yes, if you can go get it, that would be great. Fantails certainly have no business out in the wild. I'm surprised it's survived. May be because she's let it in the house during the day. 
I would for sure go get it, so that you know it's safe.


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## Becca199212 (May 10, 2007)

Even if it has a ring on?
I've just been told it often lands on the upstairs window sill, any ideas on how to coax it in from hear do you think if we took the birds that can't fly it would be tempted?


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

You will probably want to be sure first that it is a fantail - I bet some people just call all white pigeons fantails (or doves  ).

If it is 'just' a white pigeon and there's nothing wrong with it, even if it has a band, I think I'd probably let it be ... sounds like it has a home to go to at night, maybe has a mate on a nest during the day (depending what times it comes and goes).

If it is a fantail, well, maybe it comes from a nearby garden? But they are not so good at evading danger, so anyway if you take her/him in you'd best not put her straight in with your birds .... it is always best to isolate a new bird for a couple of weeks at least, to be reasonably sure it is free of anything that could be passed on to your own birds.

John


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## Becca199212 (May 10, 2007)

It's definatly a fantail my grandad went to see it today he knows his birds.
Any suggestions on how to catch it?


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## Becca199212 (May 10, 2007)

It's ok the woman just rang and asked if she caught it would we take i off her. She says she has had a hold of it before when she cheked to see it had no rings on so she is going to get it again and give us a ring if she manages it. That will be the third bird we have tried to well rescue I suppose you could say, we wern't planning on turning into a rescue centre but you can't leeve them can you?


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Becca199212 said:


> It's ok the woman just rang and asked if she caught it would we take i off her. She says she has had a hold of it before when she cheked to see it had no rings on so she is going to get it again and give us a ring if she manages it. That will be the third bird we have tried to well rescue I suppose you could say, we wern't planning on turning into a rescue centre but you can't leeve them can you?


John is right...........would it be possible to see if any one close by her has these guys in their back yard? I wasn't thinking about the dove cotes you guys have. Here is the US.....if a fantail is found, it's FOR SURE a lost or escaped bird, so we would automatically take it in. I guess you just sort of have to take it as it comes, once you see the bird.


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## Becca199212 (May 10, 2007)

It could be done but the oly way I can think of doing that would be to knock on everyones doors for god knows ow far and ask I suppose. I'm assuming since the bird has no band it doesn't belong to anyone but then again we don't band our birds and she says this is the only one she doesn't see any others.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Becca199212 said:


> It could be done but the oly way I can think of doing that would be to knock on everyones doors for god knows ow far and ask I suppose. I'm assuming since the bird has no band it doesn't belong to anyone but then again we don't band our birds and she says this is the only one she doesn't see any others.


Well, it could be just one little bird wondered to far from home and has found someone who will feed it and just stays close. I personally would consider the bird and it's welfare first. I'm sure IF the owner knew what was going on, they would prefer the bird be in a safe place as opposed to spending nights out "who knows where"............. 
I know if it was my bird, that's what I would want. The bird to be safe first of all.


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## flitsnowzoom (Mar 20, 2007)

*I'd beg forgiveness*

MO, if this bird has shown up continually and is causing this woman stress and worry about its safety it's time for it to come in from the cold (so to speak). If it's banded, perhaps you can trace the band back and let the owner know where he can retrieve his bird from. They may not even want it back or they may be missing this bird and just don't know where to look to find it. If not banded, FREEBIE  !!


If it's a true fantail and based on what I've learned here (thanks to all my mentors) it's a matter of time before this bird becomes fine dining for something in the neighborhood.

PS. you might consider banding your birds and keep track of the bands. Banding does little good if you don't even keep track of the band numbers. It's amazing how many birds get loose that never ever find their way home. 911 Parrot Alert is a world-wide organization that has so many tragic stories of birds that just got loose (and sadly, one of them was our story, too  . Listen to the sadder but wiser bird caretaker). Pigeons and doves may be able to fend for awhile better than the hookbills or other cage bird species but if they are birds that have depended on people for care and lodging, I wouldn't bet on it.


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## Becca199212 (May 10, 2007)

Can you band a adult bird?


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

They have plastic ones available for adult birds, but metal banding needs to be done when they are babies.


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## Becca199212 (May 10, 2007)

I am going to be be picked up and going to catch ger/him now I urgently need tips for catchin her nay help???!!!


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Can you build a quick trap and put some seed under it in a bowl? Make sure the bird hasn't been fed.


Here is a link to the trap:

http://www.racingbirds.com/ptrap.html

You can make a quik one with an upsidedown laundry basket also.


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## Becca199212 (May 10, 2007)

We mangaed to catch it we put seed in a box and it flew right in it was starving and quit dirty. It's really tame as it was happy for me to stroke it and does infact have 2 rings on it's legs but they are just coloured with no writing. It fit right in and was happily perching in a box with a cock when I left.


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Becca, I'm glad to hear that you and your grandfather were able to catch
this bird for it's own good. Sooner or later someone else may have caught
this bird as well and perhaps w/not so humane intentions. Good work!
I'm sure once this bird is 'tanked up' on seed and water s/he will be more
than happy to jump into one of the group baths as well  

fp


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