# Baby has left the nest!!!



## abbysian (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi all: As I've written in previous posts, two feral pigeons built a nest on the terrace floor of my apartment and laid two eggs on May 30. One baby survived, the other was taken by a hawk, three weeks ago. The baby has been learning to fly for the past week, and has been doing very well at it. I thought it was a male, but it is about the size of the mother pigeon and seems to have some of her mannerisms. She is exactly* 38 days old *today. Papa was still feeding her, though she was trying to peck at the bird feed and bread that I put on the terrace for the parents, she was also observed drinking some water too. Pics below you can see her size in relation to parents. She has the two black bands like her mama. Papa is the speckled one. She is in the middle in pics one and two. Pic three, she is on the lower part of the terrace. They seem to like sitting in the rain, as you can see they're all wet in the lower pic.
Here is my question. Baby has been flying off the terrace, sometimes with papa and sometimes following other pigeons that fly by. She had been coming back in the late afternoon, I assume to meet up with papa to try and get fed by him. Up until Saturday, she had still been sleeping on my terrace, behind the *little fortress *I had set up to protect her from hawks. I haven's seen her since Saturday afternoon. 
Is she ready to be on her own, she's only 38 days old. Or is it possible that she cannot find her way back to my terrace? I want her to be with other pigeons in a flock, but I am concerned that her parents have forced her to leave the nest too soon. I have observed them laying twigs to build another nest in the area where the baby used to sleep.Should i be worried, or is this the natural progression of things


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

It the natural progression but how can you not be worried...after all...she was your baby too. I do think she will be back though.


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## abbysian (Jun 15, 2008)

Whoa!!! Woke up this morning and* Baby *was sitting on my terrace. Thought it was mama at first. Then I noticed her beak, back tail feathers and her not-quite-red feet. So, I put some bird seed and water out for her to eat. Now she's perched on the ledge sleeping. So good to see her looking so well.


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

GREAT JOB!!! You are such a good God-parent.  How rewarding that she's doing so well, and comes back to visit.


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