# Feral Pigeon Behaving Oddly - can fly but prefers to lie down, makes gulping motion



## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

Drove down the driveway tonight to park behind the building, and saw one of the flock that hangs out behind my building, standing on the cement. He didn't move as I approached. I parked, got out, and he still didn't move, in fact he lay down. I flapped my hands at him and he flew up onto the carport roof but immediately lay down. Not on his side, his head was up but he was resting on his body, not his legs.

I flapped again and he flew up, then went back onto the carport roof, and did the same thing, lay down.

I watched him and his head is bobbing forward and back as if he is trying to swallow something. I don't think he is, but that's the best description I can give.

I'm pretty sure something is wrong with him.

We're having a heat wave which is very unusual for San Francisco.

Not sure I could trap him at this point. I'll keep an eye on him.

Any idea what this could be?

I have some 5 gallon buckets of water, could fill those - would the pidgies drink out of them? Or would there be a better way to provide water? I can't really leave a bowl lying out as the neighbors aren't fond of the pigeons but the bucket wouldn't attract attention, people use them to wash their cars.


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

Where is everybody? This is the first time ever that I've posted a question and gotten no replies!

Anyway, update - several days later, the pigeon is still lying around on the carport cement (have I mentioned 22 cars park back there?) ... but when I go down and try to get him to take him to a wildlife rehab place, he flies up to the carport roof. He is able to fly but prefers to lie on the ground. 

I'm afraid he'll get hit by a car. I don't really want to wait until he's weak enough to be picked up but I don't know how to nab him otherwise. Also he doesn't appear to be getting worse.

I just don't understand this odd behavior!


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## kalel (Oct 14, 2008)

He/she is probably sick so would be good if you could contain the bird somehow. Are there any pigeon friendly rescue places who could help catch the bird?


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

Drove in tonight, being careful because I expected to find him on the cement, and there he was in a carport stall. I got out with a box but when I approached he flew up and onto the carport roof.

I am not sure but I thought I might have seen something around his legs. Anyway I made a little progress tonight because I was able to look closely at his markings and also now I know to check and see whether in fact he can walk.

I suppose that if his feet are bound together he would be able to fly but not to walk, and that might explain why he prefers to be on the ground rather than to roost or sit on the carport roof. But then again I'm not sure it would explain that.

Anyway I expect to have another opportunity to observe him and this time I will try to see if he can walk. Also, if I can throw something like a towel over him maybe I can get him into a box and then inside my house and if it's just something binding his feet together I can fix it.

I've been putting out seed but I don't know if he can eat it if he can't navigate that well on the ground.


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

Well, I got a close look at him, and there's nothing binding his feet. He does have a lot of that cauliflower growth on one leg but it doesn't affect his ability to walk. He's also alert, and chubby. And he can fly... but he just prefers to lie on the ground. Weird. If I had to guess I'd say he's getting a teensy bit weaker but he's still able to fly and he's still alert and chubby. I might be able to catch him soon, and if I do, I'll take him to WildCare where they'll check him out and rehab him if necessary.


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

I left some seed out for him on the ground near where he sometimes hangs out.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Feed him only under a trap, you can make a trap easily out of an upside down laundry basket with a stick to prop it up, and a string to pull the stick out once the bird is under the trap. Be very careful to catch the first try as he will be harder to catch after that. *


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