# Need help with ID of found bird - white ring neck, or white rock pigeon?



## Sionnach Dhu (Jun 18, 2011)

Took my dogs for a hike at a local park last night - 370-odd acres of farmland, meadows, and woods, with the closest houses a mile or more away. While packing them into the car afterwards, I noticed a pure white bird flopping about on the entry road - clearly in distress, and even from that distance it didn't look like a wild bird. 
I walked down to look, and sure enough it was tame - let me pick it right up, wasn't at all nervous of me, and when I got to the car, it eagerly hopped into the dog crate (e.g. cage) I keep set up in the rear of the car. 
I examined it after picking it up, to see why it was flopping about, and found an injury to the left foot; there's a bruised & broken spot on the top, and the bottom of the foot is swollen - looks like it got caught in something and pinched. Otherwise, all parts seem to be intact. 
Took it home - stopping by the grocery for a packet of bird seed - dug an old parrot cage out of the storage room, and popped it in, where it gobbled up a lot of food, drank down most of the water I gave it, and settled in. 

No bands at all, so no way to ID an owner. 

I *think* it's a white ringneck dove, in which case some eejits probably let it loose for a wedding or the like.  However, I'm no expert, and having found this forum I thought I'd post a couple of pics and see what y'all think.

I'd also like advice on treating the foot; it doesn't seem to be broken, just painfully bruised and swollen. 

Oh, and I'm aware that I need to supply grit as well as seed, and that if I end up keeping it, we'll need something a bit bigger than the current cage. 

Set of 6 photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cimawr/sets/72157626868230475/

I'll attempt actually attaching a photo here:


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## Sionnach Dhu (Jun 18, 2011)

Sionnach Dhu said:


> I *think* it's a white ringneck dove, in which case some eejits probably let it loose for a wedding or the like.  However, I'm no expert, and having found this forum I thought I'd post a couple of pics and see what y'all think.


 Updating: After comparing some white ringneck photos to some others found by Googling, I now think it may be a Stielbacht release/homing pigeon. 

However, again, I'd appreciate it if people with more experience would give me their opinions.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Looks like a fairly young, sub-adult White Pigeon to me...possibly of the sort which are often used in those wedding 'releases'.

If you can, post some good close up images of the Foot in question, underside and top side...and, some good close ups also of their fresh poops/urates.


I get these White 'wedding' Pigeons showing up now and then, sheepish and inexperienced, standing off to the side when I feed the Wild/Feral Pigeon Flock here, and, overall, they gradually figure out how to fit in, and, appear to do well, showing up successively over weeks, months, filling out, growing up, and, eventually having Mates.


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