# Releasing Pigeon to the Wild



## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

Hi all,

I need help releasing Lucy (the injured bird I found back in September) back in the wild. I've read the To Release or Not Release thread and I've found some useful notes. 

I want to state that Lucy was an adult pigeon when I found her, I force fed her for about 2 days only, she has been eating by herself ever since. She is also not tame, she is still pretty much scared of people, she flies away (or runs) whenever someone gets close to her and she does not like to be touched or held. She does not eat from anyone's hand either, and she always wanders around my apartment looking for food. She is still aggressive towards me, but just me. There are some places (like where she rests) that if I get near her, instead of flying away she will attack me, she will peck my hand and wing slap me too. But in every other place she will fly away. She does like to be near people though, but I've read that this is because they are very sociable animals. She is probably used to be around people by now since it's been almost 4 months since I found her, but she does not trust us yet. Which is good.

Yesterday I took her outside wrapped in blanket and she got a little scared, it's like she forgot about the outside world and when I brought her back indoors she was more relaxed. Today I took her out again, and this time I took her to visit her flock. She still got scared at the beginning specially when she saw all the pigeons get close!! she tried to hide in the blanket, but after a couple of minutes of looking at them it felt like she wanted to join them too. I am pretty sure she still knows she is a pigeon. When she sees her reflection on the mirror or window she still coos and moves in circles.

So being that said, do you guys think she is a good candidate to be released back? if yes, do you guys think it's ok to wait until winter is over? the weather here is OK during the day, but it gets cold at night, plus with El Nino storm we are expecting more rain. Also, do you guys think that she will join the flock immediately? I'm scared that at night the flock will leave her behind and she won't know what to do.

Please let me know your thoughts. Thank you!


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## hamlet (Oct 26, 2004)

Hello. Maybe tag her leg temporarily with blue tape, so you can be contacted if she does not make it herself. Their average life in the streets is 2-3 years. I always give them a chance at freedom.


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## Whytpigeon (Sep 14, 2015)

JennyM said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I need help releasing Lucy (the injured bird I found back in September) back in the wild. I've read the To Release or Not Release thread and I've found some useful notes.
> 
> ...


Can you post a picture of the pigeon? This could be a breed of pigeon that was kept and got out and got lost. So really that would make a difference to me if I was in this situation. An adult pigeon that was hatched feral and is not purebred or many generations from feral parentage do tend to be more "wild" than you are describing. Long generations of feral also have smaller eyes that are red in color. Domestic breeds and purebreeds (not all but allot) have larger darker eyes, esp in homing pigeons.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

I think you should keep her until spring and make the decision at that time..She wing slaps you because she has claimed that area of the room (where she rests), as her own and it is there she would build a nest and lay eggs...I really think you should keep her until spring and make the decision at that time...Winter weather is going to be terrible this year in my mind so keep her and enjoy and she will too...Happy bird keeping...lol


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Agree with c.hert, would be better to keep her until spring.


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## wiggles and puddles (Sep 3, 2015)

I agree with c.hert and cwebster. I would wait until Spring and re-evalute the decision to release her or not then.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Hi Jenny,
Agree with the advices given , i wouldn't release her in winter. i know you did great for saving her and you have always been concerned about her so releasing her in pleasant weather is a right thing to do.
Also, soft release is a better option if she seems scared of outside world, that's safer for her. Don't carry her outside in a blanket but use a safe enclosure like a cage where she cant fly away from being scared. Keep her at the place where flock comes and allow her to see from inside her enclosure. Do this for a few hours a day when the weather seems O.K. she will be familiar with the flock and outside world in a week or two and follow the flock for food, shelter etc. when released. Search for threads where you can find more information on soft release.
All the best.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Whytpigeon said:


> Can you post a picture of the pigeon? This could be a breed of pigeon that was kept and got out and got lost. So really that would make a difference to me if I was in this situation. An adult pigeon that was hatched feral and is not purebred or many generations from feral parentage do tend to be more "wild" than you are describing. Long generations of feral also have smaller eyes that are red in color. Domestic breeds and purebreeds (not all but allot) have larger darker eyes, esp in homing pigeons.


These threads have some pics of her:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f6/is-this-pox-78311.html
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f6/help-i-found-an-injured-pigeon-77835.html


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## Whytpigeon (Sep 14, 2015)

kiddy said:


> These threads have some pics of her:
> 
> http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f6/is-this-pox-78311.html
> http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f6/help-i-found-an-injured-pigeon-77835.html


Thank you kiddy that was very kind of you.

I think the pigeon is domestic or from domestic stock. I would not make it feral on purpose. IMO.


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## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

Thank you everyone for your replies, it is very helpful to read all of them.  I will keep her until spring then or until the weather gets warmer. I'm just a little scared that she will get used to being indoors and that she will have a hard time adjusting to the outdoor world. Do they adapt quickly to a change like that? or does it take some time to do so?

How can I tell if she is domestic? she looked pretty wild when I found her. She has always flown away from us, and at the beginning she tried to escape through the windows. She does not do that anymore (the escaping thing) but she still doesn't like to be touch or held. I assume domestic pigeons don't mind being held or handled.

Thank you again for all the help!!


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## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

kiddy said:


> Hi Jenny,
> Agree with the advices given , i wouldn't release her in winter. i know you did great for saving her and you have always been concerned about her so releasing her in pleasant weather is a right thing to do.
> Also, soft release is a better option if she seems scared of outside world, that's safer for her. Don't carry her outside in a blanket but use a safe enclosure like a cage where she cant fly away from being scared. Keep her at the place where flock comes and allow her to see from inside her enclosure. Do this for a few hours a day when the weather seems O.K. she will be familiar with the flock and outside world in a week or two and follow the flock for food, shelter etc. when released. Search for threads where you can find more information on soft release.
> All the best.


Thank you so much Kiddy, I will do that. I will buy a cage to take her outside to visit the pigeons so she can get used to them! I really hope that when she is released she will follow them around and learn to be a wild pigeon again. And yes, I have always been concerned about her, that's the reason I want to let her go, I want her to be happy!


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

JennyM, thank you for not releasing her until spring and letting her see others. When we rescued a baby crow, I fed him, and as he learned to fly, I took him outside every day. Mom and dad came by every day and talked to him so he got to know them and eventually he just flew off with them. If we had just released him while he was recovering from being attacked he would just have been cat or hawk food. Huge red tailed and smaller red shouldered Hawks live in our yard and there are lots of cats and he was really hurt and helpless. Thank you for taking good care of the pigeon and giving her the best chance you can.


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## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

cwebster said:


> JennyM, thank you for not releasing her until spring and letting her see others. When we rescued a baby crow, I fed him, and as he learned to fly, I took him outside every day. Mom and dad came by every day and talked to him so he got to know them and eventually he just flew off with them. If we had just released him while he was recovering from being attacked he would just have been cat or hawk food. Huge red tailed and smaller red shouldered Hawks live in our yard and there are lots of cats and he was really hurt and helpless. Thank you for taking good care of the pigeon and giving her the best chance you can.


thank you cwebster, that is really good to know! I hope my little Lucy will do the same when released.


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## Whytpigeon (Sep 14, 2015)

I think the bird should be adopted to a home and or loft , it looks to be a domestic pigeon, therefore releasing it is like letting a cat go to fend for itself.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f23/to-release-or-not-to-release-10874.html


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Looks like an adult feral to me. If she is not friendly, and doesn't like you near her, and wing slaps, or flies away when he/she can, then she does act as though a feral would act if caught. Sounds like a he, if he dances in front of mirrors. I would try releasing into the flock once the weather is again warm. To keep a feral captive, when they have grown to adulthood as feral, they are generally not happy in captivity. So unless there was a reason that you could not release, then I would give him his life back.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Skyeking, thank you for the informative post! Jay3, our beloved Phoebe was an injured adult feral,who could not be released. She was very tame and happy anyway, with us as her flock. Whether a feral,should be released seems to me to depend on whether it really has the ability to survive in the wild. Some ferals who,have been injured and who have recovered should not be released and deserve a safe haven in a forever home.


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## GimpieLover (Dec 18, 2005)

JennyM, I replied to your questions and never heard back from you. You live close to me, if you want to add your bird to my aviary of other rehabbed, and soon to be releasable birds your more than welcome. 
The longer you have the bird inside a home, the worse chances of release will be. 
Courting and following you, is already not a good sign. 
Taking her outside in a cage, I fear she would at some point in there, flap to try to get out, damaging her feathers, inturn pushing her release back. 
From what I have read, you have already had this bird inside being treated like a pet for many months. 
She really needs a proper human free "re-piji-ification" imho. If you want to keep her in your area, you are more than welcome to come take her for release, or my whole group to release in your area when the time comes if you want


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

JennyM, if you are close to GimpieLover, then the offer to take your bird and keep him with other pigeons to form a flock with and be more ready for release, is a very generous and practical idea. He will be so much more ready for release in the world this way. And his chances of survival will be much increased. Please give him this chance and you will have really given him a second chance at having a life.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

cwebster said:


> Skyeking, thank you for the informative post! Jay3, our beloved Phoebe was an injured adult feral,who could not be released. She was very tame and happy anyway, with us as her flock. Whether a feral,should be released seems to me to depend on whether it really has the ability to survive in the wild. Some ferals who,have been injured and who have recovered should nip it be released and deserve a safe haven in a forever home.



Most adult captured ferals are not happy in captivity. They are wild and like their freedom. If an adult is injured and taken in and treated and healed, then it knows how to survive in the wild. Really no reason not to give them their life back. Better that than living for 15 years in a forever home where they are not happy and being allowed to be a pigeon. Life in a cage is not happy for most.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Phoebe could not fly due to her wing injuries so releasing her would have been a death sentence.


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## Whytpigeon (Sep 14, 2015)

Jay3 said:


> Most adult captured ferals are not happy in captivity. They are wild and like their freedom. If an adult is injured and taken in and treated and healed, then it knows how to survive in the wild. Really no reason not to give them their life back. Better that than living for 15 years in a forever home where they are not happy and being allowed to be a pigeon. Life in a cage is not happy for most.


I agree. If it is hand raised then it could go both ways depending on type of release. 

I think this bird is a domestic from what it looks like, the large eyes are recognizable, not many feral living pigeons look that way, generations of feral hatched birds revert to wild type with small red or orange eyes. Not larger darker eyes. There are allot of pigeons who escape or get lost and just because they act distant and wing slap means nothing, if someone found one of my birds it would do the exact same thing. A bird that acts wild will kill itself struggling in confinement flat out panic attack, that is different than just being standoffish and not wanting a human close, that is quite normal for domestic birds ESP loft kept. .. Maybe she can post more pictures. But I won't hold my breath the op has not been back.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

I wish that wonderful GimpeLover would give me a offer like that for I would send him or her my "Whole Flock"...lol...Yea JennyM has not been back posting for a long time makes me worried too...


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## GimpieLover (Dec 18, 2005)

c.hert said:


> I wish that wonderful GimpeLover would give me a offer like that for I would send him or her my "Whole Flock"...lol...Yea JennyM has not been back posting for a long time makes me worried too...


Haha, I (Her) would be happy to take them all


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Your my type of person----Good for you....Thanks for the heads up and now I won't worry about getting too old...lol..Thanks for the nice posting...Haha...


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

cwebster said:


> Phoebe could not fly due to her wing injuries so releasing her would have been a death sentence.


Obviously I'm not talking about a bird who cannot fly. I'm talking about a bird who was injured and is now well. No reason to keep him captive.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Whytpigeon said:


> I agree. If it is hand raised then it could go both ways depending on type of release.
> 
> I think this bird is a domestic from what it looks like, the large eyes are recognizable, not many feral living pigeons look that way, generations of feral hatched birds revert to wild type with small red or orange eyes. Not larger darker eyes. There are allot of pigeons who escape or get lost and just because they act distant and wing slap means nothing, if someone found one of my birds it would do the exact same thing. A bird that acts wild will kill itself struggling in confinement flat out panic attack, that is different than just being standoffish and not wanting a human close, that is quite normal for domestic birds ESP loft kept. .. Maybe she can post more pictures. But I won't hold my breath the op has not been back.



Feral birds don't all have panic attacks. They bite or wing slap and try to stay clear of you.But they don't normally injure themselves in the cage.


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