# Baby abandonded, please help! UK



## Sonjaw (Jul 28, 2012)

A few weeks ago i noticed that a pidgeon had made a nest in a bush in my garden. A few days ago i noticed that two eggs had hatched.

I'm now really worried as i haven't seen mum at the nest since yesterday. I'm very worried that soemthing has happened to her. what do i do??

How long can i leave the babies without stepping in?? (Obviously still hoping mum may return)
and if i do step in, what on earth do i do with the babies?? Never had birds of any kind so total novice.

Would appreciate all help and advice.

Thank you


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## Big-fella-9847 (Jul 11, 2012)

i would wait for a bit then if the mother dose not reture take the babies inside and go on youtube and search up how to care for babie pigeons and view some videos and that should show you how to


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

Bear in mind that you cant watch 24/7 so the parents could well be visiting & you have missed them.
If the nest is in a bush I would also guess they are wood pigeons and not normal ferals.
This being the case, woodies are very cautious when any human is around, and they will no doubt have another way in to the nest were they cant be seen.
By all means check the babies out, especially their crop. If it is full then the parents are def feeding them and they would be better left alone.
If you did need to take them in to look after them, they would probably need to go to a wildlife centre to be acclimatized before release as it is very difficult to do a soft release routine with woodies as they are notoriously "skittish" and do not behave the same way ferals do.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Are these woodpigeons?

Here is a list of vets and rescue facilities in the UK in case parents do not return: 

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showpost.php?p=652129&postcount=1


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

By the time the babies are 8-10 days old the parent woodies have reduced the feedings to twice a day and stop sitting on the nest. They continue to return twice a day to feed the babies and their return tends to coincide with the times that they would return to the nest with a crop full of food to do the change over on the nest during incubation and brooding so if you listen for squeaking , probably between 4 and 6 pm, and watch out for the parents you might see them return to the nest to feed. 

Alternatively you could go out at about 8 and feel their crops, they should be full and will probably feel like beanie babies.

If you are near farm land there is always the risk that both parents were shot, but if these are suburban woodies deaths are mostly single bird incidents on the roads so the remaining parent would return to do his or her daily feed, they would not abandon them completely.


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