# I'm broken hearted over my lost pigeon.



## Paul F Smith (Jul 27, 2015)

I had my baby pigeon uncaged at home for 5 weeks. So he was about 6 weeks old. He flew out of window 3 days ago - not seen him since. Didn't put ring on his leg because I read it can cause a bird problems (fungal infections and chafing). He was a fussy eater but a good flier. What are the chances of him returning? I always leave same window open for him. Will he survive?


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Paul sorry to hear about your baby pigeon. Have you looked around outside to see you can see him? Have you put food Outside? Hope he shows up soon. It is possible he is nearby so please don't give up on him yet.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Hi, 
Was it a rescue? A feral baby pigeon which you took in? 
Have you seen him since he flew away? 
Not right to let the window open if they are too young to fly . If you hand raised him, it is very difficult for him to find the food, escape predators etc. Keep the window open and keep a feed dish near window , if he is hungry he may return if he has imprinted on the area through the window when he was at your home or If he finds any flock and learn to find the food, he may survive too but it is very hard for them when they live with humans and depend on them for feed, they don't know where and how to find food.
Well keep praying and looking for him, don't loose hope.


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## Paul F Smith (Jul 27, 2015)

*Lost pigeon*

Yes he is a rescue pigeon. I didn't think it right to keep him captive all his life, so I left the window open lots of times before he finally caught sight of a Collard Dove and flew towards it. Mine was a Rock Dove. Lost sight of him in the roof tops after that. He seemed to only want to eat bread and a seed called Tares. He had bowls of lots of different types of seed around the apartment but showed no interest in them. There are a lot of wild Rock Doves in my block. If I put food out for him, the Magpies and Seagulls eat it straight away. I live in the coastal town of Folkestone, England. UK. I wish I had rung him but read adverse things about causing discomfort.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Ringing him does not make him come back. He may come visit or return to look for food in a familiar place . He will learn where food is from other doves and pigeons also. IMO, I would not call him lost but released.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Yes if you yourself let the window open so he could fly, it is a release. Better if it was a soft release. Hope he gets flock and learn to find food and survive. I would wait for few more weeks to release him so he could develop stronger wings for his better survival in wild but If with the flock he should make it. Let's hope for the best now.


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## CBL (May 13, 2014)

Just put the seed inside on window ledge for him to see and if other birds come, chase them off, and maybe you will see him, but u need to keep looking, he is probably close by, u just need to spot him and talk to him. I had one return after being injured for 25 days.


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

I feel your pain, believe me. I once lost my pet pigeon Tooter who was gone for over 7 months. There is a special thread called "Tooter Missing in Action." Maybe you can read some of it.Unless he found a mate, just keep your eyes to the sky and maybe fate will come your way.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Oh Victor!!! Read some of the thread, you almost gave everyone a heart attack and what a great and unexpected news when Tooter was back. Will read more from that. I am so happy to see that miracles happen like this. Me too have a hen missing, tho I know where she lives with a feral flock. Lol
Well I am so happy to see your thread. How is Tooter now?


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## Paul F Smith (Jul 27, 2015)

*Tooter*

Just read story about Tooter - quite amazing and inspirational.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

What am I missing? Wasn't the bird released???


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## Paul F Smith (Jul 27, 2015)

*To Spirit Wings*

Yes he was released but I expected him to come home to feed. Not seen him since release 4 days ago.


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## hamlet (Oct 26, 2004)

Hello. Sorry for loss of your companion, but these ferals are funny. They are not homing pigeons, so be happy your gave it a second chance at life. Not sad. Next time, your may ring your bird with a piece of tape that has your phone number, otherwise the ring may catch the predator's eye and ... 
Keep trying to rescuing or rescue a domestic one and see if that one comes back through the window. Most of mine did. That is why the pigeon people use a feed call. So when you spot your companion, then the call will bring it near you. Good luck kind one from England.


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## Paul F Smith (Jul 27, 2015)

*Hamlet*

I'm glad I didnt ring him now. There is a lot to learn about pigeons. Thank you.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

I am sure he will be happy outside and you wanted him to be happy as you loved him. So pls don't worry now, you did your job well in helping him. Thank you


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## Paul F Smith (Jul 27, 2015)

*Kiddy*

Thank you Kiddy, I felt it was his time for release, it's amazing how humans and animals bond.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

If I had loved any pigeon so much as you love him, I wouldn't have released him  
Else I won't have bonded with him coz I can't handle the stress of leaving someone whom I love. You are great that you thought of his freedom, I would give him a mate so he could nest with her and never leave me. Lol. Selfish me.


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## Paul F Smith (Jul 27, 2015)

*Kiddy*

Wish I'd thought of that - wisdom of hindsight. Just been to see a friend of mine who has a hand reared baby Jackdaw. It steals the cigarette from his mouth and flies of with it. Very amusing behaviour.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Wow, great birdie. It is fun to be with them and even they are with us in our sorrows. They give us a reason to smile almost all the times when we are broken or stressed. I feel fresh when I see them around.  
I am sure you will help them in future as well and they will be your best buddies.


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

Answering your question, Tooter is doing quite well. When my wife and I rescued him as a young pigeon in 2003 an avian vet gave him a year or so to live because he had a bb near his lung. We were told an attempt to remove it would insure immediate death. Well, it is 2015 and he is still King at Tooterville.😁


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## Larry_Cologne (Jul 6, 2004)

*For Victor and Tooter*

Great to hear from you again Victor, and about Tooter. I remember agonising over him missing in action after visits from falcons. My rescued-as-a-baby-and hand raised half-year-old male Pidgiepoo disappeared January 14 2005 and we haven't seen him since, but I now assume he did okay on his own with the local Cologne flocks. He was a couple of miles away from our apartment with my wife jogging in the park when some crows frightened him off, and he had been with us on trips with the bus and tram and train and car and bike a number of times, so probably didn't have the best orientation reinforced in him.

Paul's little pigeon has flown away from home, and may find his way back more readily.

Larry 
(now in Antwerp, still involved somewhat with the occasional pigeon rescue).


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## Paul F Smith (Jul 27, 2015)

*Tooter*

Tooter has a lucky long life thanks to you.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Glad to hear that Tooter is a king in Tooterville. Thanks for the update


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Glad to hear that Tooter is doing well, and hope Paul's bird returns.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I would not discount an appearance only after four days, even a few weeks he could still be around. I imagine he is too busy being a pigeon instead of thinking of being a pet when released to their own choices and instincts. Instincts are sex and food, if he does come back to look for food that is all he is doing. The "bonding" is usually in the human emotional brain, not so for the pigeon.


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## Paul F Smith (Jul 27, 2015)

*To Spiritwings*

That's a very interesting reply. I was thinking today that the reason he hasn't returned could be that he has no need to. Wild seeds are quite abundent in Folkestone and I often see Rock Doves pecking in the roof top gutters. If I put food out for the birds, it remains untouched for days, indicating that they may not need it. I also often see Rock Doves on the beach on the damp rocks feeding on something but not sure what, but whatever it is, it's not visible with the naked eye. Could it be plankton?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Paul F Smith said:


> That's a very interesting reply. I was thinking today that the reason he hasn't returned could be that he has no need to. Wild seeds are quite abundent in Folkestone and I often see Rock Doves pecking in the roof top gutters. If I put food out for the birds, it remains untouched for days, indicating that they may not need it. I also often see Rock Doves on the beach on the damp rocks feeding on something but not sure what, but whatever it is, it's not visible with the naked eye. Could it be plankton?


Could be minerals and salt, or even grit, they use grit in the gizzard to help digest their seeds because they don't husk them and it helps with the hard shell., or it could be they-are eating just about anything. Where you live is the original wild rock doves perfect habitat . I'm not surprised the pigeon is fulfilled there.


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