# Wobbly Pigeon



## Winky (Jul 17, 2008)

Hi, I'm new to this forum and found you whilst looking for some information on sick pigeons. Hoping someone will be able to give me some advice:

Two days ago I discovered a London Pigeon in the garden sitting on the ground looking very sorry for itself. As it didn't fly away when I went near, I put some seed and water close by and left it alone. 

The following morning my OH told me that we had said pigeon wandering around the house - he had heard some noises in the back garden and gone out there to find a neighbour's cat stalking the pigeon. He (OH that is!) chased off the cat and came back indoors, leaving the back door open. The pigeon came in and made its way through the kitchen into the downstairs bathroom! 

Anyway, it has now taken up residence on a box under the table in the corner of our living room - I have put newspaper down and apart form the occasional bit of preening and brief forays for the seed and water I've put nearby, it just sits there seemingly asleep. It's a bit wobbly on it's feet and you can actually get very close to it before it reacts and wobbles away. 

Seemingly it cannot fly as I did catch it at one point and put it outdoors - it sat on a low wall for a couple of hours, then made it's way back in and under the table again!

We're thinking we should just let it be; we don't mind it being there - I was just wondering if anyone had come across anything similar and if the prognosis is good for a recovery or not.

Would appreciate any advice.

Many thanks


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## little bird (Aug 11, 2006)

Could you post a picture, please??


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## Winky (Jul 17, 2008)

How do I do that? I can take a picture with my mobile and transfer that to the pc, but what then? 

thanks


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

You can post it in the Gallery.........just look at the top of the page and click on Gallery.........you'll see what to do after that I believe. OR, you can click on your name "Winky" and start an album. The pictures don't have to be resized or anything.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Below a post-entry window, there are a couple of buttons--choose the "Go Advanced" button. When everything changes, you can scroll down and see a "Manage Attachments" button. Click that and you can upload from your computer. An image needs to be less than 100 KB of memory size so you may have to use your computer (PhotoShop, Paint or something like that) to resize the picture before uploading.

Pidgey


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## Winky (Jul 17, 2008)

Okay, here goes, it's not a great picture, but you can see it sitting on the box...


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Enough to see a sick or starving pigeon, anyhow. We'll need to get a UK member on this to help you out, if one hasn't already shown up while I'm typing this...

Pidgey


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## Winky (Jul 17, 2008)

Thanks Pidgey. It is eating and drinking, not a lot, but I feel reassured that it is taking an interest. Also, the fact that it's spends sometime preening must be good? It seems to be a bit steadier on it's feet that when it first came in, but is still obviously not right by the fact that it's happy to sit on a box at the other side of the room to us - in fact last night it came out to it's seed and sat seemingly watching the tv with us!! It doesn't appear to be actually injured as far as I can tell, just wobbles and falls over, especially when it opens it's wings. 
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a good outcome, but am realistic enough to know it may not survive.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Thanks Pidgey.

Winky, could you open its mouth and tell us whether it is clean and pink? If not, what do you see?

Also check it carefully for wounds, specially under the wings. 

Is it pooping well? What is the colour and consistency of the poops?

Is it making any peculiar movements with its head, or can you detect a fine tremor in its eyes?

For the time being keep it warm and quiet. I would take the fact that it is helping itself to food and water and particularly the fact that he is preening, as an encouraging sign.

Cynthia


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

He might really appreciate it if you can get some heat on him like a good strong light bulb shining down from above. I sometimes use a heat lamp.

It'd be good to try and monitor how much he's eating (like a teaspoon per day, tablespoon... ) and what the poops look like and how big they are.

Pidgey


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## Winky (Jul 17, 2008)

Hi Cynthia

It's poops are black and white droppings of what I would call a normal consistency. 

It does shake it's head from side to side when it's eaten, and is taking about two teaspoons or so of seed during the course of the day. 

I'm loathe to disturb it, so next time it's moves out and about I'll catch it and see if it'll open it's beak for me!

We don't have any antibiotics in the house.

Thanks for all the advice, at least I feel we're giving it a chance.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

That actually sounds encouraging. There are a lot of birds that essentially don't make it due to starvation. The ones with the nicest dispositions suffer the most, too. Let's hope that's all this is.

Pidgey


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## kittypaws (Sep 18, 2005)

Hi Winky,

If you need somewhere to take the pigeon you could take it to either where I volunteer at London Wildcare at Wallington ( Between Sutton & Croydon) http://londonwildcare.org or take it to the Blue Cross in Victoria - they will take care of it temporarily and transfer it to London Wildcare. Or you could try to take it to London Wildcare's Field centre in Ealing ( Walpole Park) but you have to check with the main hospital first for for the opening times and if they have the facilities to take it - may be better for you as it is West London too (W5). If you call the main hospital on 020 8647 6230 tomorrow they can advise you.

Tania xx


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## Winky (Jul 17, 2008)

Well, our pigeon made it through another night, and seems perkier this morning. It took me a while to encourage it out from under the table, and it then headed off through the kitchen into the hallway before I could catch it. 

Cynthia - I managed to persuade it to open its beak and it's all pink and clean in there. I also checked under it's wings, etc, and can see no sign of any wounds.

Tania - thank you so much for the number for the Walpole Park Wildcare centre, I'll give them a call later and see what they say.

Many thanks to everyone for your advice and help, and I'll let you know how things turn out.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

You might try feeling for the bird's keel bone and see how prominent it is. Start down between the legs and then come forward. Ideally, there's enough breast muscle on either side that you can't normally feel it very well but when you start seeing this kind of behaviour, it's often very prominent. In the worst cases, you can even pinch it between your fingers and hold the bird because they're emaciated.

Pidgey


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## Winky (Jul 17, 2008)

Sad news I'm afraid. We had to go out for a few hours and when we got back the pigeon had died. I cannot believe it, and am really upset. I don't understand what could have happened, it was so much perkier this morning, we were convinced it was going to be okay. Now I feel guilty for putting it through the stress of being caught this morning. 

It's been buried in the back garden and our only consolation is that it's last few days were quiet and, apart from this morning, stress free. 

Although I feel guilty, I also feel honoured that it felt it was safe to come in and share our home with us.

Thank you all for your advice.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Well, I'm very sad for you. With birds, they try not to show anything if they're sick or injured and so when you see such obvious behaviour, you know they're really in pretty bad shape. You must be a pretty good person to have let this guy into your life, thanks for caring.

Pidgey


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi,
I had been following your post and hoping for the best, I'm so sorry your little friend didn't make it.
I must ditto what Pidgey said, and the pigeon must have thought you were a pretty good person too, it felt safe enough to walk into your house for shelter. Thanks for what you did.

Janet


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## pigifan (Nov 2, 2005)

I am very sorry your pigeon died.

Generally when they are that quiet or allow someone to get very close to them before moving away shows there is something wrong inside.

If something similar happens I think the advice of many rehabbers would be to medicate for canker (eg. with Spartrix), coccidiosis (eg. with Appertex) and also use an antibacterial like Baytril. Then hope for the best.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I am so sorry, but glad that it was somewhere that it obviously considered a safe haven. They are so vulnerable to predators when they are sick or dying outside.

Cynthia


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