# How to Catch Pigeon in Busy Toronto Mall?



## max6166 (Apr 29, 2008)

The other day, I discovered a pigeon living a few stories underground in the food court of the Eaton Centre, a large, very busy mall in downtown Toronto.

I asked some of the vendors, and he has apparently been there for about a month. 

My initial thought is that he would be better off outside. Eventually someone will complain and he may come to harm. 

Regardless, it seems like a next to impossible task to catch him. 

Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated. 

- Max


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

wait till its dark and use a torch and locate it. pigeons dont fly too well in the dark


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

You might ask some questions about how long it's been there. We have lots of different kinds of birds living inside the malls here. It would be a shame to separate that pigeon from a mate and maybe babies. Ask questions and spend time observing.


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## max6166 (Apr 29, 2008)

I did ask some of the vendors, and he has been there for about a month. He is alone about 3 stories underground.

I have seen pigeons in malls, subways, etc. before, but this case struck me as quite different. Watching him, I just get the sense that this pigeon is eventually going to come harm.


My concerns are:

1. Is he stuck there because he can't find his way out?
2. Wouldn't he be better off outside?
3. Will the mall staff harm him when they try to get rid of him (which they will have to do eventually)?


- Max


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

If that's the case, he would be better off outside and he probably can't find his way out. It's hard to say what the mall staff might do to him if they have complaints. I'd be most worried about the security guards. I saw one once shoot a quail that was in a grocery store and couldn't figure out how to get outside.


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## Kwikkordead (Jul 29, 2005)

If it has been living there for a month, it has access to the outside.
If it were stuck there it would have died of starvation by now.
(Unless someone is feeding it.)


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Kwikkordead said:


> If it has been living there for a month, it has access to the outside.
> If it were stuck there it would have died of starvation by now.
> (Unless someone is feeding it.)


I don't agree. The birds here, scavenge from the food court.


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## Kwikkordead (Jul 29, 2005)

Charis said:


> I don't agree. The birds here, scavenge from the food court.


Do you see pigeons among that crowd?
No offence, trying to learn here.
I thought they were more picky than that.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Kwikkordead said:


> Do you see pigeons among that crowd?
> No offence, trying to learn here.
> I thought they were more picky than that.


The feral birds can't afford to be picky. They eat what they can find. Try giving a domestic pigeon a french fry or a piece of bread. They would probably play with it and poop on it.


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## max6166 (Apr 29, 2008)

Kwikkordead said:


> If it has been living there for a month, it has access to the outside.
> If it were stuck there it would have died of starvation by now.
> (Unless someone is feeding it.)


It spends all day eating scraps from under tables and around the garbage. The one thing he is not lacking is food.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Could you start building his trust by feeding him? You would need the coperation of the staff.


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## clawsywp (Apr 12, 2008)

i fear you are in for some time consuming stuff. 
I think they need to trap and release the bird. Not trap and kill or trap and pest controller takes it away.

Not sure how you would go about that.. gee its a hard place to try catch a pigeon isnt it. you could try yourself but that might get complaints from shoppers, as so many busy bodies like to complain about people helping animals.

what about calling the local humane society or HSUS/SPCA etc, they may help get the bird, since its a live one..
If you ring them i would not tell them where the location is, until you find out what they can do to help the bird...like if all they can do is tell the mall to remove the bird, the mall might just get pest controllers in, who dont give a **** about the pigeon and they may kill the bird because they are lazy and dont care. So you will need to try get assurance its not going to be killed, perhaps if you say it needs to be assessed for injury/health- which it would be a good idea anyways, it means they will need to release it to you or someone else, and not kill it
I recently had bad expereince ringing humane society as they couldnt do much and what they could do, caused LOTS of stress and time, ... so ask them first what action they will take before u tell them where it is, for your own peace of mind and time/energy.
perhaps they (humane society)could, with or without your help trap/catch the bird and release it... and not jsut tell the mall to do it..so pest controllers dont get involved.

good luck and ty for caring about the pigeon! It is lucky to have u on its side.
Also i agree with i think Charis, it is good to spend time watching and seeing before doing anything.


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## TheSnipes (Apr 9, 2007)

Seems to me you are going to need cooperation of the Mall management to accomplish this one if you want to try doing it after dark...are malls ever dark? Do they turn off the lights?  Otherwise you might to try the box trap that is described with photos in another thread here on PT. Trouble with that solution is...you need to lure them with food and it sounds like this pidge has plenty of that  In any case I'd try to talk it over with someone in the management office, just let them know you desire to humanely relocate a trapped bird.


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## max6166 (Apr 29, 2008)

Just an update: I have been down a few times to check on the pigeon at the food court. He was not there any of the times that I visited.

A week ago, one of the staff said that he had been there the day before. Other staff said they had never seen him and had no idea what I was talking about.

It's kind of weird, because it is not that big of a food court, and I don't think I would be able to miss him if I worked there. Some people had no idea he was there, while others have even given him a name - "Sammy".

Anyway, I had originally been told that he was there all day every day and had been for a month. Now it seems to me that he lives elsewhere and just visits for the food. 

It is 3 stories underground though, and I think it more likely that he is living entirely within the mall, and not able to go outdoors.

I did call 2 local societies. One said that they basically do not do that type of thing. The other was the Humane Society which said that they would pass my concerns on to the appropriate people within the organization.

I am going to pop in occasionally and see if I can find him again, but there seems to be very little I can do at this point. 

Thanks for all your help and suggestions,
Max


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

They have the intelligence of a 3 yr old or older child, some breeds of pigeons do.
My three year old little girl could find her way through our neighborhood at that age, so it is possible that like the sparrows that raid the bird food in home depot the pigeon might have found a way in, for food perhaps accidentally at first, and found a way out again over and over again.
Pigeons have feeding rounds and only go to certain feeding places at certain times of day, so of course not everyone would see Sammy due to different shifts. Pigeons can remember routes, up to several hundred pictures and maps for several years. Sammy could be a very smart pigeon.


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## max6166 (Apr 29, 2008)

Hi philodice,

Yes, that is what I am hoping is the case. Initially, the people there had led me to believe that he was trapped in that one area. I feel a little better knowing that it is more a regular feeding stop.

I do hope that he is able to get back outside regularly though. He would have to be pretty crafty, as it is a long winding path underground, with no easy way in or out. 

I think it is more likely that he is staying inside the mall, but over the last few years, I have definitely started to appreciate just how tricky these little guys can be. So who knows what is up to? 

- Max


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