# Found a hurt baby dove



## aaronkoe (Mar 23, 2016)

I have a few questions in this thread that i would love some assistance with.

First, while doing some yard work i found a baby white-winged dove huddled against my fence and shivering. Upon further inspection the dove had blood on the top of the head and a deep gash on the neck.

So i took the dove inside. cleaned thoroughly with betadine and then polysporin. I did a lot of research on what to do next, and the common consensus was any hospital vet would either charge me a great deal or put the bird to sleep. So using my wife nursing background (lol) we cared for this little birdie and started feeding 3 times a day with kaytee exact baby food.

A week has gone by and the bird is almost fully feathered now, and the wounds seem to be completely closed up and healing nicely. (was very worried about infection but that does not seem to be the case). the bird cares greatly for keeping her feathers nice and walks and flaps the wings just fine, so i presume s/he is a healthy birdie now.

All of this is to describe why i am in possession of this bird knowing full well its illegal and etc etc all the common things you read about caring for a wild animal.

So to my questions:

1)
I love birds, though I've never owned one. I have several bird feeders and a large bird bath in my back yard. I love to watch the birds play in the morning. But it seems i have drawn the attention of at least 3 stray cats in the neighborhood, which is what i expect happened to poor birdie. 

Ive tried the havahart trap to catch these guys. I've yelled and hollered and thrown stuff and tried to scare them off. Nothing gives. I've read that the critter ridder stuff doesn't really work. What do i do???

2)
I don't plan to keep this birdie forever, as I'm sure s/he would be happier in the wild. Even though this cute little thing is growing on me and I'm trying to only handle during feeding time. Is it possible to rehabilitate this birdie to the wild or am i handicapping the bird and should take care of birdie forever?


Thanks in advance!


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

These are very hard decisions to make but you are doing very well with this birdie. It is hard not to attract predators when you feed other birdies in your yard so a decision must be made about this and it would save you money not to feed the wild birds. It was a very hard decision for me and now I just leave water out especially in hot hot weather. When you attract birdies you also make it more dangerous for all the birds because of sickness of sparrows and other types passing to them. About keeping this little dove---decisions will be made in time on this so for now just enjoy it and learn all you can about this birdie. Food, water, shelter, exercise, healthy conditions, etc etc..Do not leave it out in the wild if your thinking of keeping it for these birdies do not home and will get lost and be gone. Look up a good Avian vet and let them know that this Dove is a pet Dove and there will be no problem with care because it is now and you saved its life. Welcome to Bird Land and enjoy your charge..


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## aaronkoe (Mar 23, 2016)

Thank you for your response 

However i am surprised at your answer regarding the feeders. So you are saying i am doing the birds a disservice by feeding them because of disease? I spray off the bird bath daily and spray off the feeders every time they are empty.

If its either the stray cats or the birds, i choose the birds and will do whatever i have to, to ensure the baby birds hoping around on the ground in spring are left alone.

Because i have feeders and baths, a large number of birds have made my home, their home, by making probably 20 nests in my back yard, and that gives me great pride. I don't want to stop feeding them and they go away.

edit: and if its the cost of feeding them, its money well spent


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## Whytpigeon (Sep 14, 2015)

aaronkoe said:


> I have a few questions in this thread that i would love some assistance with.
> 
> First, while doing some yard work i found a baby white-winged dove huddled against my fence and shivering. Upon further inspection the dove had blood on the top of the head and a deep gash on the neck.
> 
> ...


That's a tuff one, I would keep trying to trap them, it may take months.

Also look into getting a motion sensor sprinkler, cats hate getting wet, if you can put them in the right spots bye bye cats.


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