# Young Pigeon in Gas Station (what do fledglings eat?)



## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

I just happened to be walking by a gas station today when I saw a pigeon under a car. He didn't look injured but he was walking, not flying. I put some water in a bottle cap for him and he drank it greedily. Put some more out and he drank several more times. But he didn't seem interested in pigeon seed, which I carry with me at all times.

He made squeaky mewing noises occasionally that sounded just like baby pigeon sounds. He has a tiny little feather on the top of his beak, but otherwise looks like an adult pigeon. 

When I held the actual water bottle out to him he made that squeaky noise and put his beak in the opening.

Anyway, I got a box and tried to take him but he did half fly, up onto the hood of a car getting gas, then onto its roof, then onto the roof of the one-story convenience store in the station. So, he can fly even if he doesn't know it!

An hour later, coming back home, he was still in the exact same spot.

I think if I go back and park my car under that spot, I can stand on the roof of my car and put some water up there for him. But I'd like to put some food too. What should I put? Bread soaked in water to be easy to eat? I could also put some canned cat or dog food up there (meat) if you think I should.

I can take a photograph but I don't think it will tell you much.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

He probably doesn't know HOW to eat on his own. The best thing would be to catch him and check his crop for food and to find out if he has some healthy flesh on his bones or if he is too skinny. The bird may be orphaned and may need to to intervene and bring him home.
I wouldn't put canned dog or cat food out. It's not the food of choice, for Pigeons and it would spoil very quickly.


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

Thanks Charis. In the meantime, not being the patient type, I went out and stood on the roof of my car and put out water, bread soaked in water, and some smooth turkey food. I just got home.

Earlier I had thrown a lot of pigeon seed up there. 

He backed up away from me when I put the food and water up. I could barely reach up and put the food on the roof. I don't have an easy way to get onto that roof unless I borrow a 12' ladder, and if I did go up there I might scare him back down onto the ground - this is a heavily trafficked gas station bordered by two extremely busy streets (one street is technically Highway 101). I was pretty relieved when he flew up there to safety - and stayed there!

There are some other pigeons up there with him, but I'm not sure if any of them are his parents.

There's an empty house next door whose window overlooks the roof of the convenience store - I could maybe get in there somehow but I'm not at all sure how I'd catch him and I'd be really afraid he'd fly into traffic.

He really does look like he's got some meat on his bones. But I also got the impression he didn't know how to eat. But he's pretty much full-size - do their parents still feed them when they're full-grown or nearly so?

How do they learn to eat on their own, anyway?


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

He'll probably be OK since he can fly and I doubt you'll be able to catch him.
No more MEAT products...OK?
The dad teaches them to eat and they does feed the babies even after they look full grown.


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

OK, mom, no more meat products!

Shall I continue to throw pigeon feed up there? Or if there is food he is more likely to eat, I can definitely do that. Just tell me what he would eat and I'll get it for him.


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

PS, he must have come from a nest somewhere in the immediate vicinity. Being as how there are busy streets around there, he didn't cross on foot and I doubt he would have been able to fly across the street in one swoop (and if not, he surely would have been hit by a car). So I guess I'm saying, I hope that his parents will find him. Is that a possibility if he's not actually ON the nest, but nearby? That his dad will go "Hey junior, whatcha doin' over here? Have some food!" I suppose no other pigeon's daddy would just adopt him, huh?


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Pigeon seed would be a fabulous thing to throw up there as long as you don't get into trouble.


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

Hi Charis (or any other expert), If I could get up there I think he might let me feed him. Yesterday he was squeaking a little and tried to put his beak in the water bottle, while I was holding it.

So, what would be the best food for him, and is there some shape of bowl or cup that would most remind him of his parent's beak, so he'd be likely to stick his own beak into it and eat?

I threw seed up last night, there's a house under construction next door and I could *almost* get in there and if I could get in, there's a window I could go through onto the roof.


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

GOT HIM. I went over to the gas station today and he was sitting on the top of the fence that borders the lot. I was able to see his underside and I think he has had diarrhea. There are a couple of drops of yellow liquid and his underside looks damp.

I was able to get him into a box, he's in my car now. He squeals or chirps quietly when I move the box.

I truthfully don't know if he's a fledgling or a sick adult. Anybody in San Francisco around today who would take a look at him if I brought him over? In the meantime, my car is in the shade, in a cool, quiet carport spot, so I'm just going to leave him there until I hear back from somebody on this forum.


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

Yay George, he said I could bring him over for an inspection. When George saw him he said he's a fledgling (and showed me how you can tell), who perhaps fledged 2 or 3 weeks ago. His beak is still soft and bumpy and not white, and his eyes are still very dark. He said his poop looks good and he's got some meat on his bones. George showed me how to feed him a mix of KayTee powder and water, warm, with a needle syringe. He got about 3 cc's that way, though he had to be encouraged to swallow. Then we tried some parrot pellets and got about 5 into him, he swallowed those like a champ. And some Cipro and Pedialyte. So, he got a good start at least.

After we put him back in his box he staggered a few times. George wasn't sure what that was about so he said he'd keep him for a few hours to make sure he was stable before I picked him up. Then I'll keep him in my bathroom and feed him several times a day unless I can find someone in the SF Bay Area who is a more experienced rehabber who is willing to take him.

George thought he was quite cute!


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

I think your a great person, to get on the roof of your car for a bird. AMAZING!! My husband would of had a FIT if I got on the roof of our car and its an old truck. You definitely went out of your way. You deserve a big pat on the back and good job!!min


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

You are a good person. That bird looked vulnerable in that gas station. It probably fledge too early or fell from the nest. I had some babies at my loft that flew to the ground before their time and they got pecked/scalped. Obviously, they can't fly back up and their parents can't do anything about it.


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

George did a great job with him and I picked him up this afternoon. Tomorrow he is going to yet ANOTHER list member who will put him in with several other fledglings who are being rehabbed, and he will be released in a group to possibly stay in a flock with each other. At least, he'll be with other pigeons, rather than being all alone in my bathroom!

I think he might be squeaking a bit in there, hard to hear, but one of my cats is sitting outside the bathroom door kinda intrigued.

I am going to feed him some moistened parrot pellets tonight. He is flapping his wings and squealing when I put my hand in, he's obviously feeling better. I took him out in a towel to clean his cage, and I gave him a little dish of water and put his beak in it just a millimeter, and he drank, then he stuck his beak way in and drank some more! I'll feed him once tonight and twice tomorrow and then off he goes to his new home. I've named him Georgie by the way.

I covered his cage 3/4 with a towel, and turned the bathroom light off. We are having a bit of a heat wave in SF so the bathroom is warm. Should I cover the cage completely, and perhaps put something warm over it so he'll stay insulated tonight? Would he prefer to be completely covered, do you think?

Also, when I was cleaning his cage and he was flapping around, almost panicking, I noticed his poop was almost emerald green. Is that not good?


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

I would only the top and sides of the cage but not the front.
The green poop you have described may likely be an indication of starvation.
Great save!


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Yeah, it was a good save. Don't worrk about him flapping around while you were cleaning...it's not a bad sign...he just wanted out and away ! Good that he mustered the energy to do that.

The poops don't look alarming to me, they are green but there is still white in there and they look fairly normal.

The poor lil' guy was doing OK when Serendip came to get him. In the AM we had handfed him some formula then some soaked parrot pellets popped down his throat. The latter was easier. Plus a bit of pedialyte. Then some Cipro, which she has for tom'w too.

He slept most of the morning, and I just kept him in a quiet location, looking out the window...but he really did sleep a lot.

Gave him some more soaked pellets this afternoon and he had perked up...he was vocalizing and wing whipping me. After second meal he seemed to be more like a normal pidge, more alert, stronger looking, showing a bit of attitude 

He isn't emaciated...I have cared for pidges thinner than he. He isn't out of it, either. I think a good amount of food and fluids will really up his strength...although he may have some underlying bug going on. Hard to say...he may just be a fledgling who fledged but just couldn't keep up to speed with all of the things a young one needs to do to survive...forage, find water, and not allow themselves to be pushed around by the adults. It's a lotta stuff these lil' fledglings have to endure and learn out there. I have taken in others his age who just seemed like they couldn't quite get the knack of it and started becoming weaker as a result. Again, am not sure of this, he may be a bit sick.
But his response overall to the first day of nourishment and treatment was very good. Excellent to hear he is drinking on his own, too !!!!

He goes across the bridge to member Feralpigeon tomorrow afternoon. Kudos to Serendipity for saving this lil' guy !!!!!


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

Thanks Jaye, I forgot your forum name because I know your "real" name since we have corresponded off list. I'm so grateful to you for letting me bring him over, I would not have known what to do with him and on a Sunday it would probably have been a very expensive vet visit as I have never rehabbed a pigeon!

FeralPigeon recommended that I feed an aggressive amount of food, so I actually got about 18 parrot pellets into him tonight. I soaked them in water first. I forgot to take them out of the water so after a while the last ones were too mushy. I'll remember not to do that tomorrow.

I need to learn how to check for how full the crop is. I'll look on the forum and the 'net for photos.

His poop when I checked just now was good - white with a green center. The previous one this evening had looked all green, and a very emerald green at that.

After I put him back after his last meal, he did what I think you observed today. You know how people fall asleep and their heads gradually fall forward and then they jerk backwards? Well, his whole body slowly leans forward while his eyes are half closed, then he rights himself and starts it all over again.

There was a moment when it sounded almost like he was wheezing, but then he stopped.

It's weird to hold him and pry his beak open, no matter how gently. He's incredibly light, and his beak seems so soft, not like a hard adult bird beak.

He swallows the pellets like a champ!

I have some bird seed in the cage but he shows no interest.

I didn't give him any water except by dipping his beak in a bowl, and he drank a bit. I figure the moisture in the pellets will be enough. And I left water in his cage too.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Remove the water for the night. Birds can't see in the dark and I have had a couple of tragedies happen with iffy bird and water in their cage over night.


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

Phew, thanks Charis. I just removed it. Left the seed in but he's not eating that anyway.

I stayed very still and listened to him breathe just now. I can hear each breath if I'm very quiet. I wouldn't say he's wheezing exactly but there is an extremely faint wheezing/whistling sound with each breath, and he's rocking a little bit with each breath. This is VERY subtle but it is perceptible.

I looked at some photos of full crops, but he's in his "hunkered down to sleep" mode where the chest puffs out anyway, so I'm not sure how full his crop is.

More in the morning.

Thanks everybody!


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

still wheezing a bit


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

I fed him 19 parrot pellets this morning, and .03 cc of pedialyte. He had pecked around in the dish of seed overnight. I don't know if he ate any but he made a mess. 

He seems a bit more lethargic. No wing flapping. When I put him down on the floor he just stood there, and let me pet him and pick him up. In fact I sat there with him perched on my hand and lifted him up and he just stood there clinging to my hand with his toes (or whatever they're called!). Either he's weaker or he's gotten used to me. I don't know. No squealing or squeaking either. His breathing is still slightly wheezy.

I still can't tell where his crop is or how much is in it but I felt along his chest and throat and it felt pretty bony, even after feeding him I couldn't find any little lump of food. Maybe I don't know how/where to look.

I'm glad he's going to feralpigeon tonight, who will be able to assess him properly. I'll give him one more meal at 2 pm.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Yes, he got tired after my feeding, too....I think, regardless, just being handled by a human stresses him out, as one would expect. He slept a lot after handling. My guess is he will have a nice long nap and rebound a bit this afternoon. He has had 2 big feedings...so obviously they must have lasted significantly longer than the feedings we gave him..which again, would tend to stress him out a bit.

If the breathing doesn't seem laboured or irregular, I'd say everything's pretty cool....

18 and then 19 small pellets is excellent....they are seriously fortified, those parrot pellets, you will not have to feed him again before he goes to FeralPigeon.

Good job !


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

*I think he's dead*

I just went in to check on him and he was lying on his belly with his head on the floor, not moving. His eyes are half open but glazed and his beak is half open but I don't think he's alive. I picked him up and he didn't respond.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

SerendipityCA said:


> I just went in to check on him and he was lying on his belly with his head on the floor, not moving. His eyes are half open but glazed and his beak is half open but I don't think he's alive. I picked him up and he didn't respond.


AWW.........that's too bad. I'm sorry.


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

I weighed him after he died. Subtracting for the towel I wrapped him in, he weighed less than 7 ounces. That's amazing to me, because he looked like a smallish full-grown pigeon (though he was obviously a fledgling, he didn't seem that small to me). 

I probably put him through a lot of stress in the last 48 hours, chasing him around a gas station and handling him and force feeding him. I wish he had been with other pigeons during rehab, they might have made him feel less stressed out.

Well, next time I'll know not to wait 24 hours, if I see a pigeon in that situation, I'll know something is wrong and I'll do my best to grab it right away. Unfortunately, I was reassured that he could fly up to the roof of the convenience store, but this also meant I couldn't capture him to help him. I was only able to do that when he flew back down the next day and was even weaker than the day before. That 24 hours may have made the difference between life and death.

Well, now I have local resources and I'll act MUCH faster and not waste a precious 24 hours next time.


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

You know, it's so strange but when I had little Georgie wrapped up in a towel like a burrito with his head sticking out, and I was popping parrot pellets down his throat, I really felt _maternal_. He was such a cute little thing, and I was totally responsible for his care, and I wish I could have let him know that I really liked him and wanted to help him. I don't know if pigeons can read tone of voice or facial expressions, but whenever I fed him I would keep up this patter in a friendly voice. Not being accustomed to humans, that might well have scared him more, I don't know. I have so much to learn!


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Great job everyone!!


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

I think you went way beyond the call of duty. At least you tried and you learned from it. At least he died warm and with food in his belly. It is sad. min


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## Ivor (May 12, 2008)

I'm sorry to read about this now that he is dead, but you did a lot for him serendipity, and he was in a nice house with nice people around, and Jaye is my guy, he always help me when I find pigeons in need, you guys did the best, now he is in a better place, but you did a great job Serendipity, I send you a big hug...

Ivette


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

Damn! I thought all was going well until some respiratory problem. I think that disease can kill them real fast along with paratyphoid. You tried your best and you went beyond the call of duty. That was enough for me.


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

Thanks everybody, it's so comforting to know that we're all united here in wanting to help our feathered friends. Isn't it strange how one minute you have never paid attention to pigeons in your life, and the next minute you notice every pigeon you see on the street and you're buying 50 pound bags of feed? Lordy me!


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## malfunctional (Jan 27, 2009)

Shame, poor Georgie.
I know the feeling. I watch pigeons all the time now.


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## Ivor (May 12, 2008)

Yes, Serendipity, it happen to me, and they know me sooo well, and they follow you too, around home or work I start buying 20 lbs a week, now I have to buy 60lbs, and I don't own any pigeon...

Ivette


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

I buried Georgie just outside my community garden plot in Fort Mason here in San Francisco. I didn't wrap him in anything, I want his body to decompose and return to the earth.


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

I'm sorry about Georgie, too. He was truly fortunate to have your caring and 
support. 

I did want to clarify that 'aggressive' feeding wasn't actually my term, though I was concerned about the amount being fed the bird in one day, as it was simply not enough for the bird nutritionally. Anyway, you both did well and
not all birds in trouble are noticed soon enough to make their way back to full
health. Thanks for everything that you did.

fp


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

Hi fp, sorry to put words in your mouth. I've had a couple of cats who have stopped eating due to feline hepatic lipidosis (FHL), and on the [feline-assisted-feeding] yahoogroups list, we use the expression "aggressive feeding" quite often. It simply means, they need serious nutritional support and it's imperative to get enough calories into them to help their bodies recover from whatever's wrong. In the case of FHL, the cure is food, but the cat is inappetant so you have to assist feed (orally or via an esophageal tube). No actual "aggression" is involved


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

SerendipityCA said:


> Hi fp, sorry to put words in your mouth. I've had a couple of cats who have stopped eating due to feline hepatic lipidosis (FHL), and on the [feline-assisted-feeding] yahoogroups list, we use the expression "aggressive feeding" quite often. It simply means, they need serious nutritional support and it's imperative to get enough calories into them to help their bodies recover from whatever's wrong. In the case of FHL, the cure is food, but the cat is inappetant so you have to assist feed (orally or via an esophageal tube). No actual "aggression" is involved


I'm glad you explained for other members here on the forum what 'aggressive'
meant. Yes, serious nutrition, and very impressive that you tube feed cats.

fp


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