# Pigeon trying to swallow finger?



## Ekron Vulture (Feb 21, 2017)

Just a quick question if I may. I keep a pigeon (rock pidge) whom I picked up after falling from a nest around late October last year. I haven't been able to locate an avian vet around me (various reasons) and have Unfortunately not had the bird gendered athough I have been referring to her as a she. She's a domesticated cage bird living inside with other birds in the same room.

Recently when I let her out whilst paying idle attention (something I do when she perches near my pc) I noticed she was trying to ingest my entire finger. She seems to do this in the eveing. 

I appologise for the link to Twitter but in me phone. File uploads are tricky 

https://twitter.com/Ekron__/status/833813623239798785

I was wondering if this was something I should worry about. Personally I'm just more curious to know what she's up to


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

That's what they do prior to mating and it's part of their courtship behaviour - it's called Billing. The female pigeon sticks her beak into the males and regurgitates food for him. So it looks like your bird is a male and he thinks you're his mate.


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## Ekron Vulture (Feb 21, 2017)

Oh I see. Interesting to know. I suppose that makes some sense. Athough pidge is housed in a room with other birds (budgies Cockatiel and canaries) he don't get along with any of them. And when I was on the phone the other day he got rather vocal and "I'm going to jump on your head" ish. The poor electric chap on the other end was so confused (my phone case unsurprisingly is a pigeon)

So is this behavior I should look to discourage? I'm very very reluctant to get another pigeon as I didn't want one for another six years or so ( I picked pidge up just before I drove a bus for four hours but was able to stop at home and cage him up)

Cheers for your help. It's much appreciated


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## Ekron Vulture (Feb 21, 2017)

I thought a pigeon had to be imprinted before they would accept a human ad s "mate" in their eyes. I picked him up between the age of 15 to 18 days


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Sounds like your bird is imprinted on you. Our female Phoebe imprinted on us. Without a mate, you become the mate. Just give her lots of love but try not to pet her back.


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## Ekron Vulture (Feb 21, 2017)

Pet her back, as in physical contact on the back? I'm a little slow when it comes to pigeons I will admit and have mostly wung it up until this point (only researching signs of illness, diet and Handfeeding babes)


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Our vet showed us that the more you pet a girlbird, the more she thinks you want to mate with her. So you have to walk a fine line.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Imprinting is when the pigeon was raised by humans at such an early stage, that it doesn't know that it is a pigeon, and because other pigeons aren't around, thinks it is a person. They can find it very hard to fit in with pigeons if released later on. 

Being friendly and familiar with people is a different thing. They, if rescued by people at an older age, do not imprint with them, but become very comfortable and familiar with them. But they do know that they are a pigeon. If they begin to view you as their mate, then that is because that is probably the strongest instinct in them. To find a mate, build a nest, and raise a family. So it can be very difficult and confusing to be a pigeon in a human world.


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