# Baby Pigeon not being fed!



## BabySquab (Aug 6, 2020)

Hello! I am hoping for some advice. We have a baby pigeon in our garden nesting in our wisteria, it is approximately 11 days old. Thus far the parents have been really good, although the parents have been leaving the baby on its own for a few hours at a time since about 1 week old, and have been leaving it most nights too. The dad usually comes in the day but doesn't stay in the nest (i'm guessing its because the baby is already pretty big!). Last night however, a sparrowhawk took a pigeon out and killed it on our road, although im not sure if this is either of the parents i am concerned it might be. I have been sitting outside all day so far (the parents are usually ok when im out here and it doesn't seem to concern them when they go into the nest) and neither parents have come to it. One pigeon which i think might be the mother comes to sit on the fence (which the parents usually do before it flys into the nest), however has just flown off after a while. Th baby has also started to get quite fidgety in the last few hours, moving its wings alot and pecking at areas around the nest. 

I am concerned that the pigeon that was sadly killed was one of the parents, and that the baby is now not being fed and becoming increasingly hungry and thirsty. 

Can anyone please give me any advice on what i should do? how long should i leave it until i should intervene? 

Thanks in advance!


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Can you reach the baby easily? Can you check if the crop is full or empty? The crop is located just under the neck on the breast area. Can you post a photo from the front? It's normal for pigeons to start leaving them alone for hours when they are that age. The feeding also is very quick and one can easily miss that. 

Please let us know. They are very easy to raise, but he will be too tame to be released.


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## BabySquab (Aug 6, 2020)

Thank you for your reply! I kept a camera out in the evening and it looks like the baby was fed around 6pm, so I am hoping like you said that its just because its being left for longer periods. It has concerned me that its likely the dad that was killed as he didn't come back at all in the day, is this normal for the dad not to feed in the day at this age?

I am able to get to the baby but don't want to disturb it too much and hoping that if the mum is only coming twice a day it should be ok! 

Thank you so much!!


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

They usually start a new nest and incubating the next lot of eggs somewhere else while the first lot of babies are still in the nest. That's probably why you only see the one pigeon. Just keep an eye on him. Touching him won't cause the parents to abandon him. So in case you want to check the crop.


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## Ncole (Jul 3, 2020)

Yes, when they have a new nest the male usually sits on it at daytime, and comes to feed the bigger babies twice a day.

How old are the babies? And what's the temperature out there? If they're on a safe spot and don't need the body heat of their parents anymore, then they're probably doing fine with just a few feedings from the parents. a bit of hunger makes them want to explore the world, fly!

I hope it's not their dad that's killed. Did you hear the female bird calling for him? When they can't find their mate, they usually call their mating/come home song.

Good you got a camera on them. How're they doing now?


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## Ncole (Jul 3, 2020)

Of course it doesn't need to be the dad feeding them. If mom feeds them twice a they till they're pretty full, they're probably alright too!

What makes you think they're not doing fine right now? From here I have no idea if they're in danger


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