# Advice please - Wood Pigeon can't fly



## Daisybelle

Hi All

We've been looking after a young wood pigeon for about 3 weeks. We think he was 2 weeks when we got him. He was found on the ground and we assumed he had fallen from his next. He's doing well and eating and has just learned to drink from a bowl on his own . After a while we realised that he is blind in one eye. It wasn't that noticable at first but as he's grown you can see a fairly large dent around the eye. The eye itself is golden in colour and clearly doesn't look right. We thought that if we could raise him and get him flying then we could release him nearby, even though he would be more at risk to predators I would have liked him to be a free bird. However, a couple of weeks ago we noticed that one wing (the opposite side to the eye) isn't right either. He will flap both wings and tries to fly when I take him out into the garden. The bad wing though won't open fully. Wings sort of open in two stages don't they - his won't do satge two! The other wing is fine. Does anyone know if this means if it is broken or muscular damage perhaps? The other half thinks it might be a neurological problem caused by the bang on the other side of his head.

Any advice or thoughts on if he could ever fly would be good. We're happy to look after him for as long as it takes. When he is just standing the wing hangs down slightly, doesn't tuck in as much to his side as the other one. No sign of obvious injury. We've tried to open his wings out be he gets cross and struggles out the way. We seems able to move the wing fine, just not open it out.

We're in Pembrokeshire, West Wales.

Thanks

Daisy


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## Skyeking

*Thank you for your care of this bird.

Issue could be injury related, could be blunt trauma, disease and /or neuroligical issue. 

Have you gently run your finger over the part of wing in question and run your finger over the good wing and compared it? If it is wing boils it could be a disease and treated. If it is a broken bone, it is probably past the window of opportunity to fix it now.If it is nuerological it could be PMV. 

FIRST AND FOREMOST: Have you had a rehabber look at the bird? It would be wise to do so, if one is available in your area. Please check this link for any rescue facility they can help:

http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/rescuecentres.htm*


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## Daisybelle

Many thanks for your reply.

I will try and have a feel of his wings tonight when I get home. 

I looked at the link to rehab centres but the nearest is a couple of hours away. Does anyone know a rehabber near us? We're near to Tenby SA68 in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Thanks

Daisy


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## John_D

Checking with someone in Wales, but they may well not know anyplace near. Worth trying anyway.


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## Daisybelle

Thanks John, I appreciate it.

We tried to look at his wings last night. He let me open out his good wing without too much trouble but wasn't keen on me touching the bad wing. It seemed like it was a bit painful. It wasn't easy to open the lower section out, I would have had to really force it so I didn't try. It certainly wouldn't spread out easily like the other wing. I meant to add that sometimes the bad wing shakes a little, not all the time though. 

He was sitting in front of our patio windows this morning and made friends with an adult pigeon. It came to sit with him on the other side of the glass for about 15 minutes this morning! Adorable!

Daisy


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## Daisybelle

Hi All

Just to update you on our pigeon. He had his first flight a week ago which surprised us rather. He was aiming for a tree but either ran out of steam or didn't land well and fell to the ground. He was fine though.
He had some attepts at flying over the next few days and his wing was starting to look much more normal. Then on Wednesday evening I took him out to the garden for a run about and a flap and he was off! He flew well and turned a couple of corners around the buildings. He dissapeared over the roof next door and we haven't seen him since. 

I'm very sad to see him go after about 5 weeks of looking after him. I never really thought his wing would heal enough to fly so am very pleased at how well he did. He was quite small compared to an adult pigon so I just hope he will be ok. We live right next to an estury and I suspect he might have headed over the other side of the water, I just hope he made it ok.
He would have been about 7 weeks old when he left, do you think he will be ok?

We keep hoping he will pop back to see us but nothing so far 

Daisy


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## Skyeking

*Sounds like you gave him a wonderful beginning to a bright new life! Thank you for helping him.*


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