# releasing a pigeon



## Guest

I am preparing to release a pigeon I found a week ago in the street. I am wondering whether it is important for me to return him to the neighborhood I found him in, or if I can let him go in my front yard (where many pigeons visit).


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## kippermom

First..thanks for taking this bird into your home. 

Second, we would want to make sure that whatever caused it to be caught and kept by you has been completely resolved before releasing it at all. Otherwise, it will either get caught by someone else again..or caught by a predator and killed.

Third, when it is ready to be released, generally it would be best to release it where it was found so it can hook back up with the "home" flock.

So as to #2...if you could describe what condition or symptoms or circumstances caused the bird to come into your possession last week, we could give you a better answer. Also, where are you located as the weather can make a difference in what should be done with this bird.


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## squidsuit

*more about the bird*

Thanks for your response. Let it be known that I am not very familiar with pigeons. I do have a couple hens (as in chickens) living in my backyard but this is only the second pigeon I have tried to nurse back to health.

I have spent some time looking at this site and wonder if my pigeon has PMV. When I first found him, he was sitting in the street and did not move as my car passed him. I got out and picked him up. He began having what I thought were seizures -- arching his back and neck and stumbling around and acting drunken. I thought it was a head injury. I thought he would die within a few minutes. 

The next morning he was still alive and the seizures had stopped. Since then, improvement has been steady. I am feeding him wild bird seed and chicken scratch. He eats (although I noticed at first he would peck and miss) and must be drinking although I have not seen him do it. I have had him out of the crate a few times and he is wary of me and backs away, but does not fly. I do think he would be able to fly, but he still seems a bit disoriented. His back end trembles a little bit. 

In preparation for release, I have kept him in a crate in the chicken coop (I live in Phoenix, and the weather here is beautiful right now). Since reading about PMV, I realize that putting him near my hens was a bad idea. But I am more eager now to release him due to possible contagion. I had him in the house at first, but I have several cats (also rescue those!) so this is not ideal.

Any more advice would be appreciated.


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## kippermom

Please hang onto the bird until some other resources can assist...maybe there are members in your area who could take over...it could be PMV from your description, in which case you can get info on that in the "Sick and Injured" area of this site. If you release this bird before it is fully recovered its chances of survival are slim to none. Are there any wild life rehab centers in your area? I know a moderator or rehabber will be along shortly with suggestions...just keep the bird isolated, warm, fed and watered for the time being....and thank you.


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## kippermom

We do have some resources near you...look under the "I found a pigeon-now what?" section for a January 14 post called "Please Help...etc.

We have a moderator in Mesa, and this thread references a rescue center and other local members...you can send them a personal message thru the site...I will try to do the same.


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## Guest

It's quite possible the bird hit something and suffered head trauma, which could result in seizure like activity. Does it do any head and neck twisting? Can you see if it can fly at all in an enclosed area? Many pigeons tremble a bit when excited, fearful or stressed so that may be normal. If you can post a video of the bird's movements it might help.


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## TAWhatley

Even if this pigeon has PMV, it is not likely that your chickens could get it .. different strains of the virus for chickens vs. pigeons. If you've been good about your hygiene when handling this pigeon, there is really about zero risk of it causing any problems for you or your other birds and animals.

If it is still having seizures/neck twisting, etc. it cannot be released with any real expectancy of it surviving.

I hope you will hang on to this bird for at least a bit to give us all a chance to lend a hand with it.

Terry


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## FloridaLuv

Hi Squidsuit........ Sorry I am just getting in from my day today and recieved a PM from Kippermom..( Thank YOU Kippermom for the heads Up)... My apoligies ...... How is the pigeon tonight? Squidsuit, I live in Tucson and would be willing to take him. I do not want him released outside. IMHO I think thats setting him up for a death trap at this time.... I totallly understand not wanting him to get your other birds sick, but if he is isolated and the utmost care with cross-contamination is taken, you should have a slim if no chance of spredding disease to other birds that is..... As far as your kittys go, it would not cross spread. With that said I also understand that the care itself is an undertaking. And..... I thank you for taking him in and caring for him. But he needs more time to rest in a safe place before he is even thought of being released. (If he will even be able to) 

Can you update me/us of his current conditions? Eating..... drinking? poops? does he stand? or still act drunken? If it is PMV ... He is looking at 6-8 weeks until he is better ... possibly even 12 weeks. With possible perm. neuro damage, which could mean that he will then be unreleasable. I am guessing he is only in week 2 of this???

Can you post a picture? Please PM (private Message) me if you still need an option for him. Or post here .... I will check back in the morning ....Im off to sleepy mans land.........long day!....

thanks..............Jenn


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## squidsuit

*update on my pigeon*

Thanks for the responses.

My pigeon seems completely fine today. When I cleaned his cage, he escaped and flew around the coop for awhile until I recaptured him. I really feel like he needs to be let go. 

I am posting a picture, although I don't know if it's going to be helpful at all. He is acting like a normal pigeon (as far as I can tell!).


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## Elizabethy

Squidsuit (do you ride motorcycles?),

It was SO nice of you to notice this bird's vulnerability, to stop and pick him up and to get plugged in with Pigeon Talk for expert help!

You're an angel!


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## FloridaLuv

*That's great News Squidsuit!*

Awwwwww...... What a cutie!!!! THANK you SO much again for picking him up........ I have a few questions.......


Does he eat, drink and perch on the brick...with out twisting around? 

When he was out and Escaped..p)...lol... did he fly ok? and when he landed did he land ok to perch?

like the earlier thread said from sasha008...... you may very well have caught him after he hit something, in which case YOU DID him a HUGE favor by letting him re-coup in a safe place.... SO you really are, an angel! AND like Elizabethy said, you plugged into Pigeon Talk.... GREAT JOB you found a fantastic site, if I do say so myself!!!

If all of these answers are yes.... it may be that you keep an eye on him for a few more days and then release him ..... BUT.... ONLY back to the Feral colony that he was with before...... that is VERY important.... in other words you will need to know when the feral conlony gathers where you found him.... Then, when you do release him, stay and watch to make sure when the rest leave that he goes too.... I know you said he ...gets nervous when you come around, so we are most certainly not talking about a pet pigeon...So I must agree with you that if he is acting well and eating, drinking and able to fly, perch, and the poops arent runny then I think he will be singing "FREEDOM"  lol.... 

You did a GREAT job at helping him out and from the bottom of MY heart.... I THANK YOU for that!.....
 Jenn


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## FloridaLuv

BTW~ if you can't tell... I love  the picture, THANKS for taking the time to post it!!!! SO... SO..... CUTE! And thankful!


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## FloridaLuv

ok.... ok.... last post.........forgot to mention...PLEASE do keep us updated on his release...... We all love to know what happened....even if he just flys off...


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## squidsuit

Jenn,
Yes, he seems to be eating well and his poops were runny (and green) the first day but now are brownish and squiggly ... hoping that's the normal pigeon poop! I still don't see him drink but figure he must be -- I have had him 10 days now. He does make a mess of his water dish very quickly so he's doing something to it! 

Yes, he perches on his brick without any twisty movements. And he did fly around the coop very well, and flew to the side where he grabbed on to the chain link. 

About releasing -- I plan to take him back to the area I found him at the same time of day. I always go this route after picking up my kids frm school so I know exactly where it was and when it was. However, I do not always see pigeons in this spot. The day I found my bird, there were other pigeons there but since then I have only seen them once. I also thought I might take him to a grassy site slightly further from the busy street. Is it okay to release him just a little further away? Will he find his flock? And is it okay if I don't see the other birds when I let him go? 

Thanks everybody for your help!


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## squidsuit

Elizabethy said:


> Squidsuit (do you ride motorcycles?),


Nope.  I chose the name Squidsuit after seeing a parody of a painting that I liked. There's a giant squid in a field with a farm house in the background and it says "My squidsuit brings me isolation."


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## FloridaLuv

It would be ideal... if there were other pigeons around.... They tend to keep each other informed of impending dangers that are lurking around.... Also, a grassy area would be ok, but he needs shelter to fly off to , like bushes, trees, etc.. ( I know in Arizona we lack these.) but I'd like you to take a look at a thread that
Trees Grey wrote, the link to that is:

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

Skim through that and you will find many answers... 

If there are no pigeons, maybe you could wait until there are some? It would be best.


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## TerriB

squidsuit said:


> ...I still don't see him drink but figure he must be -- I have had him 10 days now. He does make a mess of his water dish very quickly so he's doing something to it! ...


Sounds like he may be trying to rinse off his feathers in his water dish. Is there any way you could offer him a slightly larger dish to bathe in? Pigeons generally like to bath several times a week, which helps keep their feathers healthy.


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## squidsuit

*He's free!*

I successfully released the pigeon today in the same area in which I found him. I noticed that there were pigeons on top of the church on the street where I found him, and I could not detect any pigeon-deterring material there.  So my son and I got out on the grass and let the door open. The pigeon stood looking out for a while, then hopped on to the grass, and after a few seconds he flew beautifully into the air and up to the church. It was spectacular and made me feel GREAT. Thanks to all of you who helped me -- and gave this bird another chance at life!


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## Elizabethy

*Good work!*

Congrats, Squidsuit and thank you! I bet he got clipped by a car and, when you found him, was in the road stunned, with a hell of a headache or possibly a concussion and at imminent risk for being run over. You saved him.


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## FloridaLuv

Oh Squidsuit, I have goosebumps....... I AM so happy that you were in the right place at the right time to be able to help him out... again... THANK YOU!..... You did very well... AND I thank you EVEN more for the update and the picture.... So sweet... It must have made you feel so proud to see him fly...... You made ARIZONA proud!!!! WAY to GO!!!


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## FloridaLuv

BTW~ I love the GREEN grass and bushes, ARIZONA warm! Gotta love it!


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