# Papa back with Baby?



## abbysian (Jun 15, 2008)

Hey guys, I'm back with a few questions. I'm one of those pigeons built nest on balcony and laid eggs. This wonderful experience began back in May. Baby was born on May 30, so she is almost 4 month old now. Since baby fledged, back in early July, I have seen very little of her. I hope she is doing well. I see papa pigeon almost every day. He shows up in the morning on my terrace and I give him some of a blend of* pigeon/dove/wild bird/organic brown rice/split peas*...On my birthday, 9/14, I got a pleasant surprise. A pigie showed up, could not tell if it was one of mine because I haven't seen baby in almost two months-she was almost two months old, the last time I saw her. The piggie landed on my bedroom window sill, and I tapped my terrace door to see if it would startle and fly off-like all of the others usually do. 
This piggie looked up in my direction, and fluttered over to the terrace door and then jumped up on the window sill and sat down. I know it was not pappa, he has the checkered wings, and I know it wasn't mama because she has thin perfectly spaced blue bars...
Could this be baby? She has gotten considerably bigger-thinking she may be a "he"


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## abbysian (Jun 15, 2008)

*Oops, I hit submit before I finished writing the post*. The fact that this pigeon seemed very familiar with my terrace and me-I would open the kitchen window to place the feeding dish on the floor because the maintenance workers bolted my terrace door shut while they were doing their renovation work, all summer-leads me to believe that it is my baby pigeon, all grown up. S(he) is almost *four months old,* is considerably bigger than when I saw her two months ago, and her feathers have gotten darker gray. Baby had a white spot on her back, this pigeon also has a white spot, but it is lower on the back. Is that because of the increase in size, or would the white spot remain positioned in the exact space as the baby grows? 
Then, when papa showed up-he did not chase this pigeon away from the food like he usually does to the others-he flew down next to the piggie and started eating too. They then flew back up to the ledge, baby tried the beak to beak thing and then a few minutes later, both of them flew off. 
Now, I did mention that the baby is almost four months old now, *would papa still feed it from his crop supply*-or is this pigeon not baby at all, but papa's *new mate*? I havent seen mama in at least two months, and when papa shows up to eat, he is always alone-up until Sunday...Both of these pigeons have come back together on Monday and today, too.


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## SerendipityCA (May 2, 2008)

I don't know the answer but the two of them seem pretty friendly with each other.

Still got your Xmas lights up?


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Great pictures! I can't imagine Papa would still be feeding a four month old baby. Must be a new one.


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## abbysian (Jun 15, 2008)

That was my thought too, that this may be a new mate. But how is it that she seems so familiar with my terrace and my kitchen window ledge, and that she did not startle and fly off when I opened my window and stuck my head out. She flew towards the window and sat down to wait for food...She was later observed grooming papa. Baby would not do that, huh?


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Thank you for your kindness and concern over the feral pigeons.

I have had some babies, who become very close to their daddy, and I have actually had one mate with the youngster, it is possible. Daddy got a bit carried away with the dominant parent role...

I appreciate you feeding the birds, but is it possible for you to put the seed in a dish or put on a clean dry area, as seed can be toxic to pigeons when it gets wet?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

looks like his mate and could be the baby too.


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## abbysian (Jun 15, 2008)

Trees Gray said:


> Thank you for your kindness and concern over the feral pigeons.
> 
> 
> 
> I appreciate you feeding the birds, but is it possible for you to put the seed in a dish or put on a clean dry area, as seed can be toxic to pigeons when it gets wet?


Maintenance has been working on the outer facade of my building, for most of the summer. Early this month, they sealed the terrace door, and my windows shut. Since then,I have not been able to go and put out their dish of seed and water on the terrace floor. I was able to push the window up just enough to fit my hand out. For now, the best I can do, is to put the seed in a small dish, dampen it with a few drops of water-so it does not scatter-hook it on my kitchen window, and the pigeons can eat from it. Sometimes, as was the case when I took the picture, the overzealous papa knocks the dish over and the seed and water scattered.

Once the facade work is complete, I will go back to discretely placing the small dishes of seed and water on my terrace floor...


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Than you for your explaination, I appreciate it.


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