# Releasing baby pigeon



## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

Hi everyone, 
I was part of a group of people who rescued some pigeons that were trapped in a net. A really nice rescuer took most of the birds, but 4 days ago the exterminators gave me this baby pigeon (see pics below). I have no idea how old is he but he looks young, he still peeps , has brown eyes and the tip of his beak is white. I know those are signs of being young. I was told that it was ok to release, but I noticed he was very skinny (he was trapped in the net for at least 2 weeks with not so much food) so I decided to keep him and feed him for a few days until he gains some weight. 

Now my question is, when do you guys think it's ok to release him? how do I know when he is ready to leave? he now weights 215 grams, but it's still pretty small, and as I said is still peeping, has brown eyes and white tip on his beak. But the good thing is that he eats and drinks on his own.

I don't want to get him imprinted, so the sooner the better! but I also don't want to kick him out if he is not ready to be on his own.

Thank you so much for the help!


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

JennyM, he is adorable. Don't know if he's already imprinted on you.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Birds don't imprint in a week or less. Imprinting and being used to people are 2 different things. He is too old to become imprinted on you. He knows what he is, and who his flock members are. I would keep him a bit longer till he is stronger and make sure he is flying well, then try releasing him into his flock if possible. You don't know that he was with his parents outside of the nest long enough for them to teach him how to find food and all else he needs to know. Can he be let go with his flock?

Do you know who the person was who took most of them? If you can locate that person, maybe your bird can be released with the others all together. That would be best.


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## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

Thank you both 

Jay, I do know the rescuer who took all the other birds, but unfortunately she released them on Friday. They were all pretty healthy so they were good to go.

This little guy was given to me on Wed. and didn't start eating until the next day. I am glad he is old enough to know he is a bird! I can't release with his flock because they are still in the parking lot where the net was put and I don't know if they will kill them there, but I can release him with another flock that is near his. I don't think he will go to that parking lot as he probably never got the chance to go in and out of that place as the net was put around 2-3 weeks ago. 

I will keep him a little longer, Im not having any interaction with him, just when I clean the cage, which is when I weight him too. I might ask the rehabber if she has room to put him in her aviary a few days before he is released or I'll just let him fly in my apartment for a few days.

How old do you think he is?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Probably about a month. But if he hasn't been out with his parents, then he doesn't know anything about survival, finding food and water, avoiding predators. These things they learn from the parents and flock. He needs to learn these things or he won't survive. If you just release him, he won't make it. Be like turning a 2 year old child out down town.


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## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

Oh no, what should I do then? if he is about a month then that means he hasn't been out at all, as the net was put up about 2-3 weeks ago. That means he was still a baby when the net was put up and he didn't have a chance to go out with the parents. 

We rescued the last pigeon from that net today, we think it was his parent. I put him in the same cage today hoping he can help the baby if released together. Do you think that could help? or what do you suggest doing? thanks Jay for the help!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

You don't know that it is his parent bird. Sometimes people do soft releases into a flock, but that takes time, and visiting the flock with him in a cage several times. Or releasing him from thier yard, after getting him familiar with it, and letting him come back for food and water till he doesn't need to anymore.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Links on soft release:

Soft Release - New York City Pigeon Rescue
http://nycprc.org/ToSoftRelease.html

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


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## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

Thanks Jay! I will read about them and will release him like that. I want him to have a good chance out there. And you are right, we don't know for sure that is the parent, we just think it is because the adult was next to him all the time. But it could be that just were keeping each other company as they were the last 2 birds that stayed trapped in the net. 

Thanks for the links!


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## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

This bird is aprox 7 weeks old by now, do you guys think he's old enough to be released? he eats on his own and flies too, just not as smooth as an adult bird. He flies clumsily, like flapping too much and not really knowing where to land, etc. 

I will be releasing him to a flock that's behind my apt building, we (plus other people) feed these birds daily and we bring fresh water everyday too.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

He won't be safe out there till he can fly well. He won't be able to avoid predators and they will pick him out. Even then his chances are not great as he hasn't had his parents and flock to teach him how to find food and water, how to avoid predators, where to roost, anything. He needs to know that when one bird spots a hawk and signals to the others to take off, that he knows this and doesn't just sit there waiting to get grabbed. This is something that they learn.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Once again I agree with the good points made by Jay3.


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## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

Ok, thank you both  I will keep him a little longer then!

Jay, is there any way I can teach him how to do all the things the parents were supposed to teach him? I still have him with the adult bird that I rescued him with, hoping that he will learn something from her, but that bird is really eager to leave! 

I can't put him with my 2 birds, because they are not afraid of me anymore, so I don't want them to teach him that.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

When people do a soft release into a flock, they take a while with the bird by bringing him to the flock, feeding and letting them come down near the caged bird. Startle the birds so that they will take off and watch for the reaction of the bird in the cage. When he finally recognizes that signal and is trying to go with them, that is one good sign. You really can't teach him what his parents would have, so you hope he will pick up some things from the flock. And it's not a sure thing that he will make it in the wild. Some can release them from their yard in a way that lets the bird keep coming back for food and water for as long as he needs. Depending on your situation, location, and if you are feeding feral pigeons, this can work. All depends. If just released abruptly, the poor bird has no idea of where to go or what to do, and has had no teaching. His chances of survival are very low. They are flock birds and really need to belong to a flock to be able to live in the wild. Not an easy decision to make.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Because he has no street smarts, would really consider not releasing him and giving him a safe home with domestics.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

cwebster said:


> Because he has no store smarts, would really consider not releasing him and giving him a safe home with domestics.


What are you saying?


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Not sure he could survive in the wild because he didn't learn how to survive from parents. Sorry, autocorrect changed my words from "strret smarts" to "store smarts." Darn you autocorrect.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

cwebster said:


> Not sure he could survive in the wild because he didn't learn how to survive from parents. Sorry, autocorrect changed my words from "strret smarts" to "store smarts." Darn you autocorrect.


Oh okay thanks. I hate auto-correct. When I had that on my work tablet, I turned it off.


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## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

Jay3 said:


> When people do a soft release into a flock, they take a while with the bird by bringing him to the flock, feeding and letting them come down near the caged bird. Startle the birds so that they will take off and watch for the reaction of the bird in the cage. When he finally recognizes that signal and is trying to go with them, that is one good sign. You really can't teach him what his parents would have, so you hope he will pick up some things from the flock. And it's not a sure thing that he will make it in the wild. Some can release them from their yard in a way that lets the bird keep coming back for food and water for as long as he needs. Depending on your situation, location, and if you are feeding feral pigeons, this can work. All depends. If just released abruptly, the poor bird has no idea of where to go or what to do, and has had no teaching. His chances of survival are very low. They are flock birds and really need to belong to a flock to be able to live in the wild. Not an easy decision to make.


Now I understand what a soft release is really for! I thought it was just to get him used to the flock and get the flock used to seeing him! I didn't really think they would learn something from the flock during that process! thanks for explaining that to me! Too bad most of the flock that lived with him inside the net got killed by the exterminators or I would release him there! 

The flock I want to release him with hangs behind my apt building, they get fed daily and several times a day, they also get fresh water every day. Food and water wouldn't be a problem if he comes to that same spot everyday. So far he is not interested in joining the flock! I have been bringing him out (and the adult one) in a small cage almost every day to see this flock, the adult one is always trying to jump out of the cage but the young just looks at them. The good thing is that he sees them eating and then he eats too. He has stopped squeaking and makes this funny little sound like a duck or goose. His eyes have started to change color too. He is growing but it's still small. 

Do you think I can release the adult and keep the young and do a soft release on him only? or is it better if I keep the adult one too? she is desperate to leave though.



cwebster said:


> Because he has no street smarts, would really consider not releasing him and giving him a safe home with domestics.


I would love that too but not a lot of people are willing to adopt! I live in a very small apartment and I already have 2 birds, I can't have more  if I keep him he would need a mate, there's no way I can have 4 birds in my tiny apt


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

It's always better if the can be released in groups that have become a flock. But this doesn't seem to be the case with these two, so you can release the one before the other.
Was the adult an adult before you had him? In other words, does he already know how to survive outside?


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Maybe a local pigeon club or craigslist Los Angeles pet ad or ?


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## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

Jay3 said:


> It's always better if the can be released in groups that have become a flock. But this doesn't seem to be the case with these two, so you can release the one before the other.
> Was the adult an adult before you had him? In other words, does he already know how to survive outside?


yes, the other was an adult when I got her and that was around 3 weeks ago! she flies very smoothly and looks pretty good! I actually released her this morning as it was very sunny (and will be the rest of the weekend) and it was the most beautiful thing! She jumped out of the cage, and immediately took off! she went really high up and flew around me for 3 or 4 times and then went on top of a roof where other pigeons were standing! she was happy to be free after the horrible net she was trapped in. 

Now I just have the young one left!



cwebster said:


> Maybe a local pigeon club or craigslist Los Angeles pet ad or ?


problem is some people on craigslist want the birds for bad stuff :/ I rather release him to the street than to give it to some of those people where he will be abused.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

cwebster said:


> Maybe a local pigeon club or craigslist Los Angeles pet ad or ?


Craigslist is the last place I would go to adopt out a pigeon. It's also the first place people go who want them for bad reasons.


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

That must be a wonderful feeling when you release a bird you nursed JennyM. Fabulous job you did there - bravo.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

We have adopted two pigeons now through Craigslist. Depends on the person who has the birds and if course the birds.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

cwebster said:


> We have adopted two pigeons now through Craigslist. Depends on the person who has the birds and if course the birds.


 You are missing the point. Doesn't matter who has the birds. What we are saying is that too many people come on there looking for free birds to either shoot or use for dog training. You can adopt them from Craigs list. You just don't want to find homes for them there. Not safe.


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## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

FredaH said:


> That must be a wonderful feeling when you release a bird you nursed JennyM. Fabulous job you did there - bravo.


yes it felt really good seeing her fly free again  but the one I released was the adult, she was ready to be freed the day I got her, I kept her because I wanted to release her together with the young one but that was not possible as she was very desperate to leave. 

I still have the young one though. I have him with my birds now and he has been flying a lot with them! The adult was too afraid and she only wanted to be perched as high as possible, so the young did the same. Now he's exercising a lot more!


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## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

Jay3 said:


> You are missing the point. Doesn't matter who has the birds. What we are saying is that too many people come on there looking for free birds to either shoot or use for dog training. You can adopt them from Craigs list. You just don't want to find homes for them there. Not safe.


I agree! not a good idea to put animals up for adoption on that site.


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