# Found - fledgling pigeon... What do i do?!



## Pidge2018 (Jul 9, 2018)

Hi all,

I've found a young wood pigeon in my garden.

Initially, I thought it was injured, but now I have realised it is just a youngster.

The wood pigeon isn't flying. He sort flaps a little bit but not very enthusiastically like he wants to fly and he doesn't take off (hence why I thought he was injured). He has perched about 1 foot above the ground and can hop onto a low wall.

He has been with me for 2 nights, tonight will be his 3rd. This morning his mum (I'm assuming) came to feed him, but he has actually pecked at some seed I put out for him. I haven't seen him drinking as yet.

I've kept him in on a night - in an old empty chicken coop/run - as there are lots of cats in the area but I let him out on a morning and he mostly just sits in the sun all day, waiting for mum/dad to come by with food.... when they do turn up he kind of quivers rather than a full flap of the wings like baby birds do when they want feeding.

Is this normal? Does it normally take this long. I'm worried that he's turning lazy and wont learn to fly!

Any help is greatly appreciated

Sally x


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Can you maybe post a photo so members can determine his age? Maybe he is just too young to fly, but will soon learn.


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## Pidge2018 (Jul 9, 2018)

Marina B said:


> Can you maybe post a photo so members can determine his age? Maybe he is just too young to fly, but will soon learn.


Hope that's ok, I can get his mum when she comes back. She's definitely a wood Pigeon x


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## Pidge2018 (Jul 9, 2018)

UPDATE:
Hes started hopping onto the wall and jumps off flapping. I'm assuming hes strengthening his wings?


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

He looks old enough to be able to fly. Are both wings at the same height with the tips coming together, or is one hanging lower than the other? Can't see the left wing on the photo.


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## Pidge2018 (Jul 9, 2018)

Marina B said:


> He looks old enough to be able to fly. Are both wings at the same height with the tips coming together, or is one hanging lower than the other? Can't see the left wing on the photo.


Yes both wings are symmetrical. He keeps hopping around a bit and has flapped them... but he just comes back down, never goes up


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## Pidge2018 (Jul 9, 2018)

also he keeps pacing up and down that wall looking up at the fence, like he wants to go but cant


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Give him another couple of days to see if there's any progress. As long as he will be safe from predators, keeping him in a safe spot at night will be perfect like you are doing. If he does not fly soon, plse post again.


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## Pidge2018 (Jul 9, 2018)

So I went to put him away for the night and as I picked him up he flapped his wings, started to descend but then went up and over the fence. 
I’m guessing that’s it now. I went to find him in the next street but I couldn’t see him anywhere. 
I’m hoping now he’s “flown” upwards that he’ll be ok now?
Please say it is! 😂


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Did you look really well on the other side of the fence? At some point they do learn to fly, and hopefully that is what he has done.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Hopefully it's not a street with a lot of traffic. If you find him and can catch him, rather put him back in your garden.

Their chances of survival in the long run are much better when raised by their parents that teach them where to find food, water, shelter and escaping predators. Sometimes people catch fledgling birds, when all they need is just a couple of days to learn how to fly properly.

When they start flying, it's always easier for them to fly downward than upwards. Hopefully this one finally learnt.


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