# Injured Pigeon care advice



## Sedragun (Sep 24, 2016)

This is the first time I've been to this forum so first off, apologies if this thread is misplaced or I break one of the rules here and also thank you for any help provided.

So, about an hour ago I was out in the garden tending some plants when I noticed a Pigeon walking up from the forest towards me, as I noticed it get closer and closer I also noticed something was wrong with it's left wing and it was sagging toward the ground, also the Pigeon was having trouble keeping it's balance as it walked.

After it walked right up to me, almost as if it was begging for my help, I carefully picked it up and brought it inside and gave it some water, I have somewhat limited knowledge of birds but my neighbor had a spare cage to keep the Pigeon in and we got some sunflower seeds from the garden to feed it until we could get some bird seed from the local store.

I checked it's wing over and there doesn't seem to be serious damage, no blood or anything, but there does seem to be swelling around the joint that connects the wing to the body, it's unable to fly currently but it was able to spread both it's wings to their full extent and didn't seem to be in pain by doing so, the only pain reaction I saw was when I touched the swollen area.

It's extremely friendly and hasn't panicked or pecked me at all when I tried to pick it up or tend to it, at this point it has both eaten and drank a fair bit of water and now it appears to be sleeping, I can only imagine how exhausted it must be from trying to find help and avoiding predators.

So, any advice or suggestions on what I should do or how to care for it? I considered taking it to the Wildlife Rescue but it's more than an hour drive away and the injury doesn't seem to be severe so I'm wondering if maybe just some rest will let it heal over time.

Thanks again for taking the time to read this and for any advice or suggestions you may have


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Someone more expert should answer soon. Could you please post a photo? Thank you for getting the pigeon to safety and offering food and water. Not sure about the Rehab place. Please don't take the bird there unless you are totally sure they don't euthanize pigeons. A lot of rescuers consider pigeons as expendable and not worthy of rescue. We got our first beloved feral, Phoebe, because she was critically injured and the local wildlife place just euthanizes pigeons, and most other birds too. We got her fixed up and she was our delightful happy pet and family member for eight wonderful years. A photo of the wing swelling would really help. Infection? Sprain?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Swollen, reddened, and sore wing joints can also be caused by salmonella. Having an avian vet would of course be the best way to help him, but if that isn't possible, then you can't know for sure just what is wrong with the wing. If you have any pop corn, split peas or lentils from the market, you could offer him those as well. Too many sun flower seeds are not good for him, as they are high in fat.


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