# injured fledgling wood pigeon



## stargirl (Aug 7, 2013)

Hi all, found a fledgling wood pigeon on the ground in a local park today. It seemed v subdued and I was able to pick it up to check it over, and my hands came away with blood on. Got a box and brought it home - there are cats and foxes in the area and this seemed the only way to keep him safe.

He felt nice and warm so I put him in a clean box with some chicken pellets and water in the outhouse and left him a few hours. Just checked him again - no sign he's tried to eat or drink and I couldn't tempt him to at all, but he has done one dropping which was quite solid - for a chicken it would be a healthy poop but I'm not sure about pigeons!?
Will his parents have been keeping him fed in the park? Perhaps he was better there?

Can't find the wound that was bleeding earlier, and no sign of any more blood on the bedding. I checked under both wings as thoroughly as I could but didn't know how to extend them safely. One wing is hanging differently and he seems to be keeping it extended a bit, so I guess it's injured or broken. He's got a bit of fight in him but just sits fluffed up when I'm not interfering.

I may have some left over chicken antibiotics somewhere but not a complete course. Is it worth digging them out?

I'm in Manchester, UK, and am going away on holiday next week


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## stargirl (Aug 7, 2013)

picture here http://instagram.com/p/cuLQWXJ6Y5/


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi,

Well found. There may be a rescue place in the area you can get to:


Lower Moss Wood Wildlife Hospital
School Lane,
Ollerton, 
Knutsford, 
Cheshire,

WA16 8SJ

Telephone : 01565 755082




South Manchester Wildlife Rescue
Near Alderley Edge

Telephone: 07950 867353

Will take pigeons and other birds.



Greenmount Wild Bird Hospital 
Kirklees Valley
Garside Hay Road
BURY
Lancashire
BL8 4LT

Ph: 01204 884086 .

Sanctuary and rescue centre for sick, injured and baby birds.


Here is also a link to care of baby (and growing) pigeons:

http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/

It does seem he would need antibiotics, but we would give a predator-caught bird Synulox (aka Noroclav, Kesium) from a vet. However, if you can get him to a rescue place tomorrow, they should be able to deal with that.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

..In the meantime, here is some guidance on how to stabilise and examine a bird, but move slowly and put it back in a quiet place if it becomes agitaed 


It is important to give it a brief examination to establish any first aid that may be required. Wrap it is a towel , check one part of its body at a time for bleeding and stem any bleeding by direct pressure with a clean cloth. If it is bleeding from the beak or a claw you can dip the beak or claw in cornflour to help stop the bleeding.

As it is a wood pigeon , check its head for tics.

You should also check the inside of its mouth which should be clean and pink. Cheesy growths in the mouth could indicate canker.

Check its vent (under the tail). Sometimes a sick pigeon will get poop hardened over its vent, this will need washing off gently with a soft cloth or kitchen towel and warm water with a bit of salt added.

In hot weather it is particularly important to check it for maggots/fly strike. . The unhatched maggots will look like grains of white rice and will be found in the area of any wound, orifices such as the vent and sometimes at the base of feathers

Check the front of its breast for damage which could indicate a ruptured crop.This is common in pigeons, it is repairable but will need a vet to suture both layers of the crop .

Check under its wings for wounds which could indicate it had been caught by a cat (or dog). Cats carry the pasteurella bacteria in their saliva and a pigeon can die of pasteurella septicemia within 24 hours, so it is important that it is treated with antibiotics (preferably one that combines amoxicillin with clavulanic acid such as Synulox, Clavamox or Clavaseptin) as early as possible.

If it feels cold it is important to warm it up on a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel (so it is warm but not hot) or on a heat pad set low, or under a 40 watt angled lamp for about an hour. If the pigeon is wet and hypothermic you it is best to use a hair dryer to dry and warm it but make certain that the air reaching the pigeon is not too hot. (Please note that if a bird is suffering from concussion heat could be harmful)

After the pigeon has been warmed (that will take about an hour on a heat pad) mix 1 pint warm water with 1/2 tablespoon of glucose, or honey or sugar and half a teaspoon of salt. Dip the bird's beak in the warm water to encourage it to drink, you can also dribble it at the edge of the beak, but don't try squirting the water into the birds mouth as it might aspirate it and die or develop pneumonia.

Do not try to feed the bird yet. It might not be well enough to digest the food, which could kill it. The glucose/honey/sugar will provide the energy it needs for the time being.

Pop a clean white kitchen towel under the bird so that you can monitor its poops. Ideally these should be plump and soft but not runny, of a khaki colour, topped by a cap of white.

If the pigeon has diarrhoea it will need to drink sufficient water to avoid dehydration. Smelly dirrhoea is typical of a bacterial infection such as paratyphoid, which would need to be treated with an antibiotic like Baytril.


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## jafacanyan (Jul 17, 2013)

I hope he feels better, good luck


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## stargirl (Aug 7, 2013)

Thank you so much for your responses - they were of great help!

I checked him as advised and located the wound under his left wing. it had already stopped bleeding. He made it through the night & this morning I took him to Greenmount at the above address. The woman there was beyond wonderful! 

She says he had been shot. She seemed really positive about his chances though and said she'd give him pain killers & antibiotics before x-rating the wing. Even if he can't fly they'll keep him there, providing he's happy in captivity  

He also had flat fly - two came out when she was examining him and she raced outside to be sprayed by a colleague. Spent the rest of the day itching - I swear they're on me!!

She said to call in a few days for an update.
Thanks again!


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Well done!!!!

Greenmount is one of those special places that will not euthenase unreleasable birds and will give you updates, so he is in excellent hands. And she will have the right pigeon spray to get rid of those flies, they are ghastly!


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Excellent result !

You are a prize woodie-rescuer


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