# Dead baby pigeons - what's happening!?



## Korman (Jun 18, 2008)

My wife and I have about 10 nest boxes set into the rafters of our big horse shed, and last friday when I came out to do chores I noticed one of babies (perhaps a week away from fledging, so not small) sprawled dead over the edge of the nest box. When I grabbed the step ladder and climbed up to the nest, of the two babies there the day before, the dead one had most of its pin feathers removed down to the flesh (which was bright red with blood all over the exposed flesh). The other baby pigeon was still alive and fine at this point, but was later in the day in the same shape as the earlier one (previously removed). This has now happened in another nest as well, pigeons pecked - or something - until they die of shock and/or blood loss. WHAT IS DOING THIS? Do we have a rogue, psychotic pigeon? Could it be the squirrels? The magpies, ravens, weasels, et al would all probably remove and eat the corpse, but the bodies are left intact ... just dead.

Any ideas?


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hello and Welcome to pigeon Talk,

I'm so sorry such a terrible issue brings you here....

I don't know what it could be but it is definitely a carnivor with capabilites of plucking.

If you have any openings larger then 1/4 inch in your horse shed, then you probably do have some kind of predator coming in to prepare and take the babies....but for the life of me, I have never heard of this, but I'm sure someone will come on that has.

The smell of babies and eggs around this time of year certainly brings out the worst. Please fix openings or it will happen again.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I have heard of babies getting scalped but whoa, that seems overboard...have you seen any rats in your barn? are these feral pigeons?


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## Korman (Jun 18, 2008)

*not rats ... black flies?*

Hello, and sorry for taking so long to get back (my students are in the midst of diploma exams right now). Out farm is in northern Alberta (where there are almost no pigeons around anymore), and in Alberta we are "rat free" (with the exception of pack rats occasionally). We do however have several kinds of weasels (live trapped four this winter and found them new locations), and an ever growing number of ravens (flocks of 50 or more not uncommon), but it doesn't appear to be any of the conventional predators. Because we are also located between a large river and a lake, and because we therefore get black-flies so intensely that they have been known to kill new foals, we are wondering if that might be the case. Anyone out there ever run into that?

I continue to try to predator-proof the nesting area without locking them up entirely - they are "wild and free" after all, but sure would like to know what I am working against. 

Thanks to one and all, and all input is appreciated.

Korman


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Maybe you better get a video camera out there or stay out there and watch (have any kids with nothing better to do?).

Pidgey


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