# feeding feral pigeons



## sabina (Mar 11, 2006)

Hi everybody,

Aias is away this weekend, so the pigeons have to make do with me for now. Aias feeds a flock of feral pigeons daily. He used to feed them on the window ledges, now he feeds them on the roof. As I was up there just now, I was wondering if there's anything we can do to make the feeding more safe for the pigeons. Here are my concerns:

1) There are puddles of water that collect on the roof, so that is theoretically a good water source. Except you can see the green mold or whatever that grows there. Well, right now it's mostly frozen. But anyway I worry about what grows there--stagnant water doesn't seem very safe.

2) Poops! I saw some slimy definitely sick looking poops get coated with seeds blowing around, and I just cringe thinking of the germs being passed. Pigeons clearly never learn not to poop where they eat (that seems to be a goal in fact, pooping in their food and water dishes), so I don't know how much can really be done.

I know Aias plans to clean the roof, but I was wondering if anybody has any ideas about what we can do to help keep these birds healthy. How to clean the roof, how often, what to do about the water. I know they're feral and need to be kind of "tough," are probably colonized with just about everything anyway, but hearing about Cynthia's river green canker outbreak, it makes me worry.

Any ideas appreciated!

Thanks,
Sabina


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## sabina (Mar 11, 2006)

*one other thing*

As far as I know, there's no access to water (no hose) or electricity on the roof.


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Hi Sabina,

You could provide an alternative water drinking source for the pigeons so that
when they eat, their natural tendency to look for water to drink would be satisfied w/the water that you provide instead of them looking to the puddles in the roof for their water source. There really isn't any way to guarantee that when you aren't there that they will select the heathiest of choices for fluids instead of what is readily available.

If you do select to provide a water source, you'll need to be careful to keep it clean so that it doesn't become a source of disease to the visiting ferals.
Adding ACV to he water can be helpful.

Regarding the poop covered seeds, you might be interested in this article on 
coprophagy (the act of eating one's poo):

http://www.albertaclassic.net/novice/Coprophagy.php

Obviously not all of what is in poop is a probiotic for pigeons but this is a naturally occuring behavior that is based on need and it will be difficult to 
stop it in all of its' occasions as you just can't be there every time a pigeon
feels nature's call to do so.

fp


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## sabina (Mar 11, 2006)

Hi fp,

That was a very interesting website. Who knew there was such a fancy word for eating poop?? Well it made me feel a little better. Though it's not really the normal poops I worry about, just those slime green ones. But I suppose they do build some immunity, and the fact that they're probably better off nutritionally than most feral pigeons must help.

About the alternate drinking source...the other day when I first got grossed out by the green moss or whatever in their drinking water, I made Aias run down to the apartment to get a basin of water. Well he brought up this bright orange plastic container that scared the birds away for almost a day. They were very wary/suspicious. I think he said one pigeon used it, but overall, it wasn't too much of a success. They prefer the puddle.

Sabina


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

sabina said:


> Hi fp,
> 
> That was a very interesting website. Who knew there was such a fancy word for eating poop?? Well it made me feel a little better.
> 
> ...


***I've had the same problem. I brought a rustic looking ceramic casserole bowl that wasn't too 'loud' color wise--just brown and tan--and tried to water them w/spring water. They turned their nose up at it and went to the source that they always rely on which is unpotable water that is sent down the sidewalk-to-street gutter by the commercial building next to their roosting stations.*

fp


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## sabina (Mar 11, 2006)

It's not a high percentage. Just a slimy one here and there. I think I saw 2 slimy poops today.


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Well, if you know the culprits you could try and catch them for rehab.  

fp


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

When it is feeding time, try the bowl of fresh water (with a bit of ACV), and dump some ACV in the slimy puddle they drink from. Perhaps then, they will turn their "nose" up from that slimy water, and if they don't at least they will get something good from it.

If it is possible to put a pigeon feeder out at meal time, that may help with the poops in the food. They may turn their "noses" up at that too, but they just need to be retrained and hungry. Then you should bring the feeder in until next day 

This is one feeder I have, and it does keep the poops out. I only find one poop in there, every once in a while.

http://www.globalpigeon.com/productimages/fullimg/IMG1124273090.jpg


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Treesa, putting ACV in the puddles is a great idea, it won't help w/the sidewalk
gutter scenario but in the roof situation it's very creative  .

The feeder will get them bunched up in one spot and might make them more of
a target for predator birds, just something to think about.

fp


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## sabina (Mar 11, 2006)

Treesa,
Those are good ideas. I was looking on the global pigeon site, and found the feeder. The largest was 48in, for $25, which sounds reasonable. How many pigeons do you think could feed there? I think about 30-50 pigeons come everyday, maybe closer to 30 (have to count next time).
fp,
All the pigeons look healthy, and they spook if i come too close, so no catching the culprit!
We've never seen any predators around here. Well, there was the seagull, but he seemed to coexist pretty peacefully with the pigeons. And we feed them mostly on one section of the roof, so they get kinda bunched up anyway.

Sabina


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

They have a predator program in SF and I would find sooo many that had been
hawk attacked up there or buzzed while I was there that I couldn't help but worry. Glad to hear you haven't seen any.

fp


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi Sabina,

If you don't think it will make them a target, I would get at least two.

I would ask when you call, how many birds they feed, as there are different size feeders. My feeders are 24" long and will feed about 10 to 15 birds each.

Please make sure to pick it up after they are done, as it will atract alot of other wildlife, some good some bad.


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## sabina (Mar 11, 2006)

I think we will get 2, I counted about 60 pigeons there earlier today (I was way off with the 30 estimate!). And there were a BUNCH of all white slimy watery poos, some with stringy stuff. So the sooner the better.


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## sabina (Mar 11, 2006)

I just asked some questions on other threads regarding fp's use of Nolvasan on the sidewalk and Cynthia's use of Can-kex in the water. Should we be adding meds to the drinking water we supply?


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

pigeons are smart animals, i think if you leave a basin of water and some food close by the ferals will choose the most conveniet way of eating and drinking (your way) than eating from somewhere else and drinking from the roof. you need to be away that pigeons love to bathe so a regular cleaning is a must - 3 times a day.


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## Aias (Nov 9, 2006)

*get your chocolate out of my peanut butter!*

or: The Happy Separation of Seed from Poo.

to that end i made my own feeders and drinking device, total cost to me: $0.00.









to my surprise they were more scared of the sawed-off pepsi bottle than of the gigantic feeders. 

you can peruse the rest of the pictures, with a cameo appearance from the seagull, here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/100fires/tags/ferals/


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Great photos, Aias, and a very good job on the feed and water creations!

Terry


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi Aias,

I'm glad you resolved the issue and made feeders and drinkers for your feral flock.

That is a happy conclusion to the poop/seed issue.

Thank you for taking care of these noble ferals and sharing with pics.


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## Aias (Nov 9, 2006)

i am glad you think so 

i was out there this morning, the weather is furious today and i didnt think they show — but they did! extra food for them today!


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Aias, I enjoyed the pictures. Great idea for the feeders/waterer especially when they are free!


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## Grimaldy (Feb 25, 2007)

Dr. Frank's article is silly, if not downright stupid. If his pigeons are eating their own droppings he ought to try feeding them more.
All birds have certain bacterial flora in their gut, and just like humans, their health depends on the ability of the immune system to keep it in check. Once the immune system is overwhelmed or compromised bacterial organisms begin to propagate. Coccidis is generally present in all birds, wild and domestic and it gets there by contaminated food, not because the bird has some sort of a preference or liking for its own feces. The same is true of samonella, and its existence does not depend on the willingness or desire of the bird to eat contaminated food, the bird eats contaminated food because it is hungry and that is what is available. That is why reasonably intelligent breeders remove food from the loft if it is contaminated with feces, they don't scrape it off and add more.
If Dr. Frank needs some confirmation of the absurdity of his observations, he ought to look at some photographs of the children in occupied Germany in 1945-1949; they too ate out of garbage cans and whatever food they could find in the streets. Would Dr. Frank conclude they were trying to remedy some vitamin deficiency or replace some missing nutrients from their diet?
The silliness of the suggestion that animals have some sort of preference for their own feces is the same argument leveled against feral pigeons for eating offal and garbage. If they want to survive they have little choice; but one thing has always been very clear to me that somehow seems to have eluded Dr. Frank: If offered shelled corn or feces invariably the pigeon chooses the corn.


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## Guest (Mar 11, 2007)

those are some beautiful pigeons you got on your roof there  you are doing a wonderful job I must say and Im sure the pigeons thankyou from the bottoms of their fluttering hearts .I especially loved the little foot prints in the snow ,that just some how touched my heart thankyou for sharing


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## RussianRoller (Mar 19, 2007)

*Catching Feral Pigeons*

*I was wondering if it would be ok to catch Tame Feral pigeons that live in the City.*


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

RussianRoller said:


> *I was wondering if it would be ok to catch Tame Feral pigeons that live in the City.*


I don't think that would be a good idea because you might be breaking up a mated pair. They do mate for life you know. A feral pigeon from the city wouldn't be tame and would not be used to not being confined. That would be very stressful for the bird.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Hi Igor

The thing is, why would you want to catch feral pigeons? Most of them are not tame. They may come up to you to feed but that is simply because they need to survive.

There are so many other pigeons that need good homes that, to me, it would be far better to adopt one from our adoption forum than try to catch a feral. Ferals are wonderful birds. The majority that we have in our aviaries are ferals and they are tame BUT, when we got them they were either babies, sick or injured and not ones we sought to capture and tame. We release the majority that we rehab but some have proven to be too tame to release so we have kept them. 

There are always pigeons that need adopting but we should be committed to keep them safe and secure and well cared for. They should be "forever" birds and live out their lives with us.


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## alvin (May 10, 2006)

RussianRoller said:


> *I was wondering if it would be ok to catch Tame Feral pigeons that live in the City.*


How do you know that it's mate isn't sitting on eggs? Remove it, and you remove the food source for the mate and/or the squabs. Only catch ferals that are sick or injured, otherwise it's best to let them be.


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