# My (feral) pigeon chirps when I give her food and water?



## i_love_Calina (Sep 6, 2010)

Hi everyone!

Last week I found an injured, scared, and starving pigeon on the street! 
I took her home, and have been caring for her for around 5 days now -- tomorrow I have an appointment with an avian pet to help fix one of her legs and one of her wings. 

I am quite sure that she is a feral (one person here stated she is around 2 months old) who someone had tried murdering. 

I have never had a pet pigeon before, and have only started feeding the pigeons in the park this past year (I never saw any where I used to live). I named this beautiful pigeon Calina, which she responds to. She is very sweet, lets me pet her, and even plays with one of the toys I bought her! 

My question is that when I place food or water down for her (which I do around 5 times per day -- I clean up the the rest before bed) she will make a cute chirp sound right after I place her food and water down. She will then wait till I move my hand and start eating and then drinking. 

I think is it absolutely adorable, but I'm just curious what this means and why she does this. She also tilts her head to the side and then blinks at me a lot. 

I don't really know how to communicate with pigeons, although Calina seems much happier and healthier than when I found her! 

Does anyone know what these gestures mean? Thank you so much!


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Was this the one with the plastic on the Leg?


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## i_love_Calina (Sep 6, 2010)

Phil!

Hi, yes this is the same pigeon.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Well, what about the Thread that was already going?

The Leg and so on?


Anyway...when still very young, they make vocal 'peep'ing or murmer or slight honking sounds when eating, while pecking, which are milder versions of the sounds they used to make in asking to be fed, or in their enthusiasms of being fed.

If approached gently, they will usually enjoy being fed from your Hand, with you making your Hand and Fingers into a sort of imitation Parent Beak.


As seen here in this image -


Seeds just roll down your finger-trough, into their Nuzzling opening-closing Beak.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

how is the birds leg?


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## i_love_Calina (Sep 6, 2010)

Hi everyone, I was going to respond to the other thread after seeing the vet -- which I did today. I am still in shock at what the vet said, but I will post that into the other thread as to not get off topic. 

And to Phil: Thank you for telling me about the hand feeding -- I have not tried that, but will give it a go.


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## ptras (Jun 29, 2010)

i_love_Calina said:


> Hi everyone, I was going to respond to the other thread after seeing the vet -- which I did today. I am still in shock at what the vet said, but I will post that into the other thread as to not get off topic.
> 
> And to Phil: Thank you for telling me about the hand feeding -- I have not tried that, but will give it a go.


What did the vet say???


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## i_love_Calina (Sep 6, 2010)

ptras said:


> What did the vet say???


Hi Ptras, I posted what the vet said in the other forum, but he basically said that Calina will never survive in the wild again, and that by taking care of her she has become domesticated. I am in disbelief because from what he said, it only took two days for her to not be wild anymore! The reason she hadn't tried flying before yesterday was because she was just a baby (pretty much), but at least her wing is fine so I can let her fly around the room. 

He basically said that Calina is now my pet, and that if I put her out in the wild (regardless of if her leg is fixed), it is a death sentence. o__o 

Thank you for your quick response though boy am I in shock!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

A bird does not become so domesticated that it is now unreleasable in a few days. In your other thread, you mentioned that you were interested in saving up for the surgery for her leg. Well that would take a while, and then her recuperation would take another while, and by all that time, she would become more tame. But a soft release can still be done after that time. I think it's great that you want to keep her, and have the surgery done on her leg. I hope it all works out for you. Lucky that you found her. She wouldn't have survived out there. Keep us updated on her.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Well...that vet...while perhaps well-meaning...should bone up a little on Pigeons. Those are some very silly statements he/she made. Really....

You can keep and nurse a Feral for months without her/him becoming human bonded. So the Q in your situation becomes: is the leg healable to a state where she can regain some decent use of it ? If so, and if she continues to practice flying and get stronger, she is still potentially releasable when the time comes, with the proper methodology.

So don't get bent out of shape...that was some pretty poor advice from the vet.


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## i_love_Calina (Sep 6, 2010)

How can I tell if a pigeon is wild or domesticated? 

The vet seemed very sure of himself, stating that she was too nice and calm to be wild -- I questioned him, but he insisted she is now domestic. I won't lie, she seems very domestic to me as well since she lets me pet her, pick her up, play games with her (bird toy), and will sit with me etc...but IDK.

I am new to pigeons, so I don't know much about them...I just know that if I release her I have to save up to fix her leg...and I want what is best for her! 

Thank you!


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi

It's possible that Calina was already comfortable with humans, may have been rescued or raised by soneone and released. Looking back at the other thread, it seems like she was never exactly 'wild'.

I have an adult male pigeon here who originally came in from the balcony with a head injury and PMV. After a few days, I could just pick him up wherever he perched, he had become so cuddly and affectionate. I'm sure he had been a 'pet' pigeon or brought up with people around. His behavior simply was not that of a 'wild' feral, specially being male.

John


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

John_D said:


> Hi
> 
> It's possible that Calina was already comfortable with humans, may have been rescued or raised by soneone and released. Looking back at the other thread, it seems like she was never exactly 'wild'.
> 
> ...


I was thinking the same thing... the "thing" on her leg almost looked like a half ass attempt at marking the bird by someone.. I don't think the advice from the vet was poor, he was just calling it how he sees it..and all of us are not there to meet the bird..so I would keep her as a pet since she is comfy and happy there...all the pigeons here is USA where domestic at some point and alot of ferals have domestic blood in them..every bird is different, some real wild ferals may be climbing the walls..so you would know they wanted to be free and not happy in confinment...some are just as happy as a peach...lol... in that case..they live the good life and not one of trying to find where the next meal is going to come from.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

I just noticed you are in my neck of the woods, ILC.

Indeed, this is a good point. Could have been a lot of things...a good samaritan trying to help but not having read up...could also have been a bird which was acquired and hobbled purposely by someone (for purposes of, ahem... 'dog training', for example), which managed to then escape. Any other number of possibilities.

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f23/to-release-or-not-to-release-10874.html

Read this. Then, as I have offered you in the PM I sent..once she is all strong and robust ...there is a very simple way you can tell if she would be releasable or not. Safe, secure. It would take about 7 days, 15 minutes/day, and you can skip a day here or there.

It's an acclimation method called 'Soft Release', where the pigeon is observed in the proximity of a flock. Her reactions to the flock over a week's time is very telling as to her releasability. Takes a lot of guesswork out of the equation. We can discuss this more off-thread, lest I bore other members yet again with a long description of the process. 
I am in the process of working a Soft Release with Edgar, one of my rescues here, so if you wanted to meet me in a park or such, and see how it's done, it would be a good first-hand view of things.

Suffice it to say it can tell you whether Calina really has enough Feral left in her for a re-release or not. And as I said, a completely secure setting with no chance of anything bad happening. After a week or so, one will either conclude "she wants back out" or "no...while she may be stoked to see other pigeons, she is not catching on whatsoever".

Given the small amt of info so far, I would tend to lean towards what other members are suggesting (i.e. probably not releasable)...but pigeons are funny kids...when given an option of a cushy life, oftentimes they will seem to forego the Feral world for the time being. Yet once re-acclimated, they really wanna be there.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If you are that close to Jaye, I think it would be very worthwhile to meet him and see first hand how he does it. Then, eventually, the bird will let you know.


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## i_love_Calina (Sep 6, 2010)

Hi everyone, 

Thank you for all of your helpful and kind responses!

I just wanted to give an update that I purchased PGWear (and am researching a pet stroller for her), HOWEVER, I have still been letting Calina fly around so she doesn't feel cooped up. She has really grown friendlier than even before! She now flies out of her cage and onto a chair I sit in, my head, my shoulder, or my hand. She likes to fly around in a circle in the air and then land back on my head! She also will eat out of my hand!  

I can honestly say the avian vet was right in telling me she is now domestic and will only become more so! 

Although she HAS pooped on me a few times, it is totally worth it. It is still a bit strange to be studying and have a pigeon land on my head, but I'm just happy she is obviously feeling like part of the family!

I swear she even recognizes her name now! Anyways, that is my update! 

Thank you


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

sounds like a match!... how sweet...


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## Ivor (May 12, 2008)

Sounds like you have a pet now!!! Congratulations to you and to Calina, believe me you'll love that bird, I do love any bird that I rescue and come to my house, is just hard for me to release them because I get attached so quickly with them, they give you so much love that sometimes I wish to have more time and spend it with all my birds. 

Welcome to the Club!!!

Ivette


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## i_love_Calina (Sep 6, 2010)

Thanks for the responses everyone (although mine is late ;(). 

Calina is really the coolest pet I could have asked for


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## If I had Wings (Jun 17, 2010)

*Fostering around other pigeons*

I don't know if this would be possible for you, but obviously having a young bird around other pigeons helps them to learn what they need to know. And they are less likely to bond with you than if you are the only other living thing around for them to relate with. Pigeons are very social. Is there anyway you can connect with someone who is fostering other young feral pigeons so that the bird can be around members of its own species until it is ready for release? Be sure, if you do this, that you see where the birds are kept and that they are in fact released or given that option.


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## If I had Wings (Jun 17, 2010)

*Your feelings*

I just wanted to add, please be careful that your feelings for the bird do not result in you doing what is best for you rather than what is best for Calina.
This often happens. Pigeons are charming and cool and fun to have around. Sadly, these traits often make people want to keep the bird and the result is that the rescued pigeon loses any chance at freedom or the choice to stay or leave. Don't let your rescue become a selfish rather than selfless act. It is very hard to let them go but they should be given every chance for a free life.


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