# Babies on Ledge, I put a box next to it, bad idea?



## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

Hi, I've been posting on another thread that's not getting a lot of page views and I need advice that's unrelated to that thread's original purpose.

This album shows what I'm talking about:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/

A pair of pigeons had two babies on the tiniest little ledge about 7 feet up at the back of a carport stall. I first posted about them on 6/2 and I think I had been observing them for maybe two weeks before that, and they weren't tiny then, so rough guess, they're maybe 4 weeks old?

Anyway, these two babies have spent their entire lives on this mass of twigs glued together with pigeon poop, and I doubt they have ever taken a step. So I got the idea to expand their real estate - and on the other thread we were talking about a ledge. But because the sides of the carport are cement (and the back is just open), and the top is lumber, I decided (without actually checking with this list) to hammer up an apple box. I did that today. I cut one side off altogether and then cut a hole in the other side. 

What I'm afraid of is that the parents will stop feeding them with this box in their normal flight path.

Should I be concerned?

I can go back to the "shelf" idea it'll just take some thinking about how to anchor it. The wood is INCREDIBLY hard and I wasn't even able to nail thin nails in very well.

Because the parents aren't with them all the time it will be very difficult for me to know whether the babies are getting fed.

Can I feed them myself? Someone on the other thread said the parents are feeding them "chunks" by now - but they don't recognize seed as food yet.

If I can feed them, what should it be?

I am able to touch them and they squeak at me (probably in terror) - I've been talking sweet to them for two weeks now and visiting a few times a day, today is the first time I touched them and that was to try to move them into the box which they don't seem to be using yet.

Any advice appreciated!


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I think the less you interfere the better.. when these are out of the nest and if it happens again.. replace the real eggs with fake ones. the original rock dove and some still use seaside cliffs and small ledges to nest in in the wild..these seem like they are ok.. the young do not move alot and yes the parent birds are feeding them just a few times a day at this point..usually they do leave them alone more to not attract predators. The box could be keeping them away..


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

The box probably is keeping them away. The shelf would have been better. If that isn't possible then just leave them as they are until they leave. After they have gone, you could put a closed box up there to stop them from nesting there, which is eventually going to cause problems anyway. Not really fair to the guy that parks there.


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

Thanks Spirit Wings and Jay3 ... I tossed and turned all last night worrying about them and thinking I might have to call a friend across the Bay who rehabs babies as I'm going to be insanely busy in the next two weeks (driving to L.A. to pick up a rescue pit bull from a kill shelter, then writing a treasure hunt for 120 engineers at Google!)...and I don't think I could add tube feeding two squeakers to the agenda! I was really worried that the box would inhibit the parents from visiting their babies.

But I think it's good news (read on...)

Today before I left to work all day at a friend's garage sale, I thought I would put a bowl of seed and a little bowl of water in the box. I figured the squeakers probably don't know how to peck or drink yet, but just in case...

Both babies were in the box this morning so they have learned to use it and are at least walking a little bit. Though I hear what you said about pigeons nesting on little ledges on cliffs so I guess my concerns about their learning to walk were not legitimate - maybe pidgies just bypass the walking part and start out flying! In which case, they are still in a crappy environment as, if these babies don't get the hang of it very quickly, they will be in serious danger on the ground in the carport.

But here's the good news - when I got home tonight I went out to check on them, I thought I could maybe tell if they were weaker, and also look at the bowl of food to see if they had pecked at it. So I stood on a chair and reached in, I saw them in there but it was dim ... and to my astonishment two pigeons came flying out of the box. I was afraid it was the babies but in fact it was two ADULT pigeons - and the babies were still in the box.

So, for now, can I assume that the parents are hanging out with the babies in the box and feeding them? I mean, those wouldn't be two non-parental birds in the box with them, would they?

Having said that, the jeep is gone since yesterday and I don't know how the jeep owner is going to feel about this "nest" being constructed above his car - maybe I should write the word "TEMPORARY - WILL BE REMOVED SOON" and my phone number?

And just as I was writing this I heard someone clapping their hands angrily in the carport and when I looked out, I saw several pigeons flying up off the ledge above the building - I ran down and nonchalantly opened my car trunk so the person clapping wouldn't know why I was there - it was someone who parks under the building next door (so, not someone who is in the same area where the birds are nesting) ... 

I really do have to stop feeding because ALL the cars back there are getting pooped on - at least all the one in the freestanding area.

What I should probably also do is ask our landlord to put spikes up under the carport ledges so that they can't nest or hang out there, because that's the major source of poop on the cars - unless they actually stand ON the cars which they do occasionally.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

That is cool they are using the box..


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

That's great news that the parents are still there, as even if the babies did learn to eat the seed on there own, they still need the parents to raise them, and to learn from. 

Getting something in place to stop them from nesting in there is definitely needed, but I hate those spikes. Maybe hardware cloth, or even chicken wire could be run along there to stop them from getting on the ledges? Just making sure that there were no babies in there when it was done. Maybe you could offer to do it for them if they purchase the supplies. Actually, buying chicken wire isn't all that expensive. You could even offer to pick some up and do the job. Wouldn't think they would object to that. Maybe someone else who parks there would help. They'd probably be thrilled to be blocking the ledges from nesting birds. Just an idea.


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

Hi Jay3,

I put a note with my email address and phone number on the jeep's windshield last night and came home to an email from the guy today - he's totally cool with waiting til they fledge to remove the box, and will work with me to pigeon proof his stall. I think chicken wire is a really good idea and it's not such a large area that it would be prohibitively expensive. 

The babies are using the box exclusively and are moving around a lot, I thought I even heard them flinging seed around because I heard a beak hitting the side of the ceramic bowl and then something rolling across the cardboard floor of the box, and when I went to check when I got home today I saw two adult pigeons on the ground below the box - I wonder whether they are attracted by the food in the box. Well, it all seems to be working out so hopefully we can get these babies raised and then help them move along to a more suitable place to nest.


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## cubanlofts (Sep 3, 2010)

spirit wings said:


> I think the less you interfere the better.. when these are out of the nest and if it happens again.. replace the real eggs with fake ones. the original rock dove and some still use seaside cliffs and small ledges to nest in in the wild..these seem like they are ok.. the young do not move alot and yes the parent birds are feeding them just a few times a day at this point..usually they do leave them alone more to not attract predators. The box could be keeping them away..


amen to all of it, the box was not build by their parents, they must be thinking, what the hell is that new condo, and from where it came from.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Great update. Nice that the other guy is willing to wait, and to help you. That's wonderful.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

yes... jeep guy very cool.. These babies sound like they are having fun in their new digs..lol..


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