# Lost pigeons mate is lonely



## pmasonsmith (May 21, 2015)

I have been at uni until yesturday, and five days before I came home the male of my feral pigeon pair went missing. I am in contact with local animal charities and vets incase he shows up, but by this point I think it's unlikely he will as his range when they free fly is so large. I am more concerned currently about his mate, apparently for the first three days she called and looked for him, and has collected an admirer. Today she went off flying for several hours, out of her normal flying range as I couldn't see her at all until she returned...with another male in tow.
She has got very nervous and is always wanting to fly and I don't like the idea o keeping her locked up, but I don't want her going missing like the male as she's tame enough to get hurt. She remembers the basic commands I taught her before uni, but in her current anxious state she isn't reacting to them like before.
How long should I wait before trying to get another male for her?
Is she safe to let out, if males are seducing her and possibly luring her to their nests?


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Would not let her out if you want to keep her as she is likely to fly off with a mate and not return.


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## pmasonsmith (May 21, 2015)

Should I find a tame mate for her?


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Don't let her out, as stated, it is just a matter of time before she gets taken by a predator or goes missing, or comes back sick.

Give it some time before you look for another mate, sometimes they do return against all odds. *


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## pmasonsmith (May 21, 2015)

I just worried as she's normally very confident, but today she was incredibly jumpy and staring at the sky, she sat on my head for ages aswell which she normally only does when she's been spooked. She has also started exhibiting a probable stereotypical behaviour, of staring at the sky in a take off pose, and rapidly beating her wings with them half closed. Also I don't want to wait too long as a male would have to be introduced slowly, and this would mean she would be on her own for a while anyway. I'm just trying to consider what's best for her welfare, especially as if her mate returns he's probably going to have a new female.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Flying just a single bird, or even a pair is asking for trouble. They are safe in a flock with more birds to watch for trouble. Letting so few out at a time is making it easier for hawks to grab them. He may not come back, and if he ever does, you don't know that he will have a new mate. If you let her out alone, you will eventually lose her either to a predator or a new male. If it were me, I would wait, hoping that he would be back. If it didn't happen then I would get her another mate. Be patient, and give her time. Better if she has more time anyway. No hurry. Loneliness won't kill her. She will be fine, and either he will make it back, or at least she will be more ready for a new mate.


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## pmasonsmith (May 21, 2015)

There are no hawks where I live, my garden backs onto many gardens of a housing estate, with many herring gulls and magpies around. I've seen a buzzard flying far overhead before but other than that it seems completely the wrong type of habitat for highly predatory birds of prey, the gardens are quite developed so there isn't any large areas of cover. I would like to develop a small flock of my own of four or six birds, but don't have the funds to purchase a shed to convert into a coup at the moment.
How long do I wait before I get another male though? Do I just wait a month, because the female is only going to suffer if it's that long. Do I wait a couple of weeks? Because if that's the case I should probably start looking now.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Would just find a mate for her and not let her out. Whatever bird you get will be tame soon.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

But he could have been scared off where he is lost. He could still come home. It happens all the time. What do you then do if he does come home and you have mated her up with another bird. There's no hurry.

She isn't going to suffer. I think you are the one who is suffering, imagining how much she is. She will be more ready to accept a new mate if you wait a while. If she will just go to a new male so easily, then she isn't suffering all that much. Stop obsessing about her loneliness.


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## pmasonsmith (May 21, 2015)

My degree is an animal welfare and behaviour course, we learn all the time about stereotypical and displacement behaviours, these are caused when the animal cannot either satisfy it's needs or complete a natural behaviour, they are related to an animal ng stressed in captivity. My female is likely displaying a displacement behaviour as she wants to fly but is unable too, it worries me as before when she's been shut in she has hovered on the spot for short bursts or flown in circles around the aviary, not sat anchored to a perch. She is also acting very anxious and she's normally a very confident bird, in and out flying. She is undoubtably stressed by the situation, how stressed I don't know, but I don't want her getting stressed and losing out on the enrichment opportunities free flight allows. And how long do I wait before finding a new male?


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

We have a lonely girl who we are trying to find a companion for. It has taken months to find a friend for her. I know she is lonely because she looks wistfully at the two females in our other flight cage. But I know that if I give her more attention she will be ok. Plus I'm not putting another bird in with her until it has been seen by a vet and quarantined. She has her whole life ahead of her to be with a companion. Better to not rush things. Isn't there a saying, act in haste regret in leisure or something?


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## pmasonsmith (May 21, 2015)

I suppose I'll wait a week or two them before starting to look.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

pmasonsmith said:


> My degree is an animal welfare and behaviour course, we learn all the time about stereotypical and displacement behaviours, these are caused when the animal cannot either satisfy it's needs or complete a natural behaviour, they are related to an animal ng stressed in captivity. My female is likely displaying a displacement behaviour as she wants to fly but is unable too, it worries me as before when she's been shut in she has hovered on the spot for short bursts or flown in circles around the aviary, not sat anchored to a perch. She is also acting very anxious and she's normally a very confident bird, in and out flying. She is undoubtably stressed by the situation, how stressed I don't know, but I don't want her getting stressed and losing out on the enrichment opportunities free flight allows. And how long do I wait before finding a new male?



You are kind of blowing this out of proportion. She is by herself, it is for a while. She is fine. Of course she wants to get out and fly. That's normal. She will be okay. You are looking for symptoms of things. Just let her be.


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