# Pigeon pulls feathers - why?



## Warren (Oct 15, 2005)

After noticing odd behaviour in a pigeon in our local park I caught it and took it to the vet. He examined it, found some wounds, thought it had been attacked by a dog or cat - and prescribed antibiotics. The wounds were mainly on the bird's lower back, where there was an area which seemed scratched and had no feathers. A week later the pigeon seems mostly fine. It eats, isn't listless, seems inquisitive and alert. However, the area without feathers seems to be growing - because the pigeon is pulling out the feathers around it. I took the bird back to the vet, who found that it had put on a little weight, said he thought it seemed OK, and checked carefully for mites (didn't find any). He wasn't particularly helpful on my question of why the bird was pulling feathers (he didn't really seem to "take on board" the fact that the area was GROWING - responding simply that the bird had lost feathers in the dog/cat/hawk attack.) My question is: why is this bird pulling its feathers? Do pigeons behave this way because of stress? I'm keeping the bird in a container which has a floor area about the size of a hand towel, is about twelve inches high, has a clear plastic canopy, and a sliding grille on the top (ie the bird sees light, has air). But - for a wild bird - I guess it's confining. Would I be better simply releasing the bird? It seems strong, but is missing a bunch of feathers on its back - which may leave it vulnerable to cold (I'm in Toronto, freezing temperatures are probably a month or so away!). Any advice would be welcome!


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hello and welcome to pigeons.com

Thank you for your kindness and considerations of this pigeon.

I'm not sure about why the pigeon is pulling out its feathers, maybe its stress, or the area is irritating to it, or there is another issue. How does the skin look where the feathers are missing, any swelling or discoloration?

I would not release the bird as yet, meanwhile tell me what you are feeding the bird and lets check its diet. Is the bird still on medications and what kind?

Other will also be along to help.

You can keep the bird in a large cage up high, as that is where pigeons feel comfortable, keep it out of air drafts and bright light. Allow the bird darkness at sunset till sun comes up, as that is its sleeping time.


----------



## Warren (Oct 15, 2005)

Thanks for your input. Since posting, I've contacted the local Wildlife Rehab Centre. First I made sure that they will accept and care for "feral" pigeons (ie don't just regard them as "pests"). They will accept them ("We have a room full of pigeons!"). They suggested I bring in the pigeon, and her (his?) medications. They'll take it and look after it. The woman I spoke too sounded genuinely concerned, and the operation appears professional and well run. So that's what I'll do. My reason is, the injured area doesn't look inflamed or sore - the antibiotics the vet prescribed seem to have worked - and the pigeon has also been checked by two different vets for mites (the second time I really insisted that he look VERY carefully - he appeared to). So I've reached the conclusion that the feather plucking is the result of the stress of being confined and handled. Bottom line: I think our pigeon will be better off in the Wildlife Rehab Centre. The Centre has a vet, and appear to respect pigeons as living creatures with a capacity for suffering (rather than just "pests"). Apart from the feather plucking, the bird appears healthy. So I'll hope that more space, and the proximity of other pigeons, do the trick. Once again, thanks for your help. Given the number of pigeons in Toronto, and the fact I don't like to see any living thing suffer, I think there may be more pigeon caregiving in my future...!


----------



## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi Warren,

Hope these people can sort the poblem out 

Did you actually see the pidge pulling out feathers? 

They will sometimes preen aggressively if there is some kind of irritation, just as humans may scratch, which can have the effect of it losing feathers which may have been somewhat loose anyway due to the injury to the central area. 

Also, it may have been caught at a time when it was molting.

Can't say I have ever see them pull feathers, myself.

John


----------



## Warren (Oct 15, 2005)

Yes - I saw the pigeon pulling out its feathers. It would raise its wing, put its head behind it and yank. 

Anyway, I took it to the Centre this afternoon. They not only gave me a 'Case Number' that I could quote if and when I called them for news of the pigeon, but also asked if I wanted to be there when they released it. So I guess they genuinely intend to care for it - which persuaded me to hand it over.


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi Warren

Thank you for all you have done for this pigeon.

Please keep us updated on how the bird continues to do at the Wildlife Centre.

I'm still curious as to why the bird is pulling its feathers,...... irritation, chemical imbalance, diet related, I would love to know if they can come up with any reasons. The bird definitely is not releasable until this is resolved, and the feathers have grown in completely.


----------



## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

We have a breeding hen that started pulling her babies feathers out last year. She had never done this before and in the research I've done, it seems that once they start, they never stop. I don't know if a pigeon pulling it's own feathers out is the same thing. It's called "cannibilism" and there's not really any known cause as far as I know. It's just something they do sometimes. This hen would actually pull out the feathers and eat them. I watched her do it over and over. The first thing I thought of was "not enough protein" in the diet. Even though there were 18 other pairs of breeders eating the same feed and had no problem. I wound up having to take the babies from her the first time and raise them my self. The next time, I took Mom out and let Dad raise the babies and he did just fine. I know this isn't any help, just that, although I believe it's rare, it's not unheard of.


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Renee,

Thank you for sharing, I had never heard of it in pigeons, especially a hen doing that to its babies, but I am glad you shed some more light on it. I'm not sure if Warren's bird actually ate the feathers or not though.

Maybe its also a nervous condition that once it has started its hard for them to stop pulling them out or eating them.


----------



## Warren (Oct 15, 2005)

I didn't see the bird eat it's feathers. 

I have another question, concerning another pigeon. I know this must sound like a rather unlikely coincidence, but on the way back from the Wildlife Centre, my wife and I found another injured pigeon. We took it to the Veterinary Emergency Centre. Turns out it has a broken wing AND some kind of wound on its wing. The break isn't at a joint, we're told, so they MIGHT be able to fix the wing with a splint. But it's also possible - according to the vet - that they'll have to "go through" (?) a joint, which will mean the bird will never be able to fly again. So here's the issue: we've been on the phone this morning to the same Wildlife Centre we were at yesterday afternoon. They're willing to try to save the bird - but stress that IF they think the bird won't be able to fly again, they'll euthanize. They argue that even if we kept it as a pet, a disabled wild pigeon would have such a low quality of life that it would be cruel to keep it alive. They also suggested that - if unable to fly - the bird would develop "bumblefoot" from lack of exercise. Comments? Is it cruel to keep a wild pigeon that can't fly as a pet?


----------



## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi Warren,

We have several pigeons who are unable to fly. We don't see them as 'pets', and they reside in an aviary with numerous pigeons - and their mates - who are unreleasable for other reasons, and some who are just being rehabbed for release.

All but one of our flightless birds have a mate - including mates who can fly but nevertheless chose to pair up with non-flighted birds. One of these had a wing amputated (before we got him). You'd never notice!

We observe that although occasionally a flightless bird will appear perplexed when it cannot join its mate on a high perch, they give every appearance of being pretty content. They are active, alert, dote on their mates, get any food they like, love their baths and occasional showers, can fulfil their nesting instincts, manage to jump and flutter onto various 'furniture' and crow and dance the same as any other pigeons - and they are very healthy, bright eyed birds.

Never seen bumblefoot in them. It is likely to be more common, I suspect, with birds who have only one good foot and therefore put all the pressure on that one when perching - and then only if the perches are wrong.

John


----------

