# Another Pigeon is Attacking the baby pigeons!



## WelsfordPigeon

I have pigeons nesting on my patio. They hatched 2 eggs and now the pigeons are probably about a week or so from being ready to leave the nest. This afternoon a pigeon, I dont think was the mother or father, was pecking and attacking the babies in the nest. They were peeping, and very scared. We shooed the attacker, and later when the mother returned the babies were even scared of her.. It was all very surprising and I feel so bad for the babies!
I noticed some pieces of broken shell on the patio and figure that someone living above me threw theirs off their deck, and they fell into mine..Could this attacking pigeon maybe be the owner of the broken egg? and maybe attacking the babies because she doesnt recognize them? Does this even happen? It was the best reason I could come up with. 
It was back again today and the pigeons were being pecked when i got home from work. 
What should I do? I dont want my babies to die!

HELP!


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## John_D

Hi

They fledge at about 35 days, get to learning flight maybe a week earlier, so when they'll be ready to go depends how long since they hatched.

Is it just possible they are older than you thought and that it _is_ one of the parents trying to drive them off? The eggshell could have been from another round of eggs laid by the mother, and got broken, as they often start another round before the current young have fledged. Once they have new eggs, pigeons are not keen on having the previous young around the nest (I've seen that in the past on my balcony). But then, I have also seen an intruder pigeon trying to take over part of my balcony and getting into fights with the male who had been nesting there - he would certainly attack any youngsters who he saw as a threat to his intended nesting place or a food supply.

But, if you are pretty sure it is a 'stranger' then I don't see that you have any but two options:

1) let them be and hope they'll be OK
2) take them in to a safe room and provide food and water and ensure they learn to eat seed, mixed corn or whatever you can get for them, until they are flying around well and can rejoin the outside.

Maybe others can come up with different solutions.

John


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## Jaye

Personally option 2) is what i'd do You can bring them in when you aren't around and put them bac out when you are home (another sub-option being perhaps place somethng over the next such as a board or such to create a lean-to and see if that dissuades the mean pigeon from visitng)


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## Charis

Babies squeal and flap their wings when the mom and dad feed them. The parents actually regurgitate food, which is called crop milk, the babies put their beaks inside the parent's mouth to eat it. To some, that could appear that the parents are attacking, when actually, they are only feeding their babies.


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## c.hert

In my loft the only time I had pigeons attacking a baby was when I was trying to be helpful and left food around the nest area and this attracted one of my rollers pigeons and he attacked the baby to get it away from the food...That was just my situation but maybe it will be helpful for you..Take all food away and if you feed the mama and daddy pigeon watch them while they eat then take the food away...Just a suggestion..c.hert


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## WelsfordPigeon

I realize when they are being fed and this is definitely not feeding, the babies are being pecked at their wings and heads and they have themselves backed into a corner trying to get away from the adult pigeon. Definitely not feeding. I do not leave them food, and generally just leave them be. It is disturbing to watch and listen go on. I just hope they will be ok.


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## Charis

95% of the public hasn’t a clue about how pigeon are nursed by their parents. The babies make such a ruckus that the person observing, thinks surely the parents must be attacking them and as the babies grow...the ruckus only gets louder. We get inquiries about this all the time. Not even all of our members understand that haven’t witnesses it.
Any picture you can post would be very helpful as well as telling us what city you live in, just in case we have a resource near you that can help.


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## Jaye

If there's another adult coming by and you are *sure* it isn't feeding you are seeing - just letting the scenario play out _will not end well at all _- but the odd part of your description is that you state the babies seem to act scared towards the actual mother too - and _this_ is VERY unusual. So this is why some folks are trying to get more of a handle on what you are actually witnessing. Can you see injuries to the babes - pulled feathers or bald spots or cuts or stuff such as that ?


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## Jay3

If a pigeon is attacking the babies, and it isn't the parents, then the babies shouldn't be afraid of the parent bird. They can tell the difference.


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## Msfreebird

It's pretty simple to tell the difference - If the babies are hungry and trying to feed it looks like *they* are attacking the parent.
If it's another adult bird attacking the babies - the babies will be squeaking and *COWERING* in the corner trying to get away  If this is the case, they need to be taken inside and hand fed, or their going to be killed.


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## Charis

I agree with you Waynette, but to some one that doesn't know pigeon behavior, it can still be confusing as to what they are seeing . Certainly if these babies are bing attacked there would probably be blood on their heads.


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## Larry_Cologne

There are *videos on YouTube* of parent pigeons feeding their young, if one has not personally watched a feeding. The degree of "frenzy" or enthusiasm in the young may vary a bit from feeding to feeding, and according to personality, so a feeding may at times appear gentle, other times frantic, agitated, aggressive, enthusiastic.

Larry


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## Jaye

Now...assuming the babies are actually being attacked, and you are certain of this....you should really take them in, WP.....


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