# Keeping a young wild pigeon...advice please?



## munchiehk (Jul 12, 2010)

Hi all. I am sure that a lot of what I need to know is already here, but finding time to read and filter it all is a problem, so I would like my own little thread!
I have never kept a bird and know next to nothing about them. I have always thought of pigeons as a pest, to be frank.

A few weeks ago, I was walking through a particularly insalubrious part of Toronto when I spied a very young bird huddled in a doorway looking rather pathetic and afraid, he had obviously come out of a nest I could not locate. In a moment of weakness I scooped him up and brought him home, intending to find a shelter for him or feed him until he was big enough to release.
Due to my own ignorance, this has not transpired. What has happened is this: He has taken over the spare room, imprinted on me, terrorized my cats and stolen my daughter's heart and to be completely honest, mine. 
He is very independent most of the time and wanders around pecking things. He scampers away if you try to pick him up, but if I go around a corner, there is an immediate beating of wings and a pigeon on my head.
He enjoys going into the back yard with me, but as soon as I go inside, he flies right in after me. He has figured out that the kitchen is the source of his beloved frozen peas and corn. When he is hungry, he sits on top of the fridge and waits. As soon as I take out the bags and a bowl, he goes completely mental. After eating, he likes to lie on my shoulder and fall asleep.
I am probably being naive, but I don't want to release him into the urban jungle. It's a pretty rough life for a pigeon in Toronto and he seems so happy here. He can fly very well now, but shows no inclination to go further than the roof of the house. We have 2 cats, but he has them both in their place, either flicking a wing or pecking them when they get too close. The cats show no desire to make a meal of him and I have even found them curled up asleep not 3 feet away from his own favoured nesting spot.
I would like the opinions of the experts here. Am I doing the right thing by keeping him? He can't stay in our guest room forever, so should I keep him outside? He seems to prefer the indoor life, broadly speaking. I think he is quite spoiled. I don't want to get some huge fancy pigeon loft, as there is only him. Will he need a companion, or is it OK to keep a single bird? Can I use a regular bird cage at night for him to sleep? We are quite happy to have him around during the day and his little messes are not a problem. What about the Canadian winter? Can he sleep outside? Do we heat his cage? If we move house, will he return to this one, or will he stay with the people he has imprinted on? He mostly eats corn and peas, but also has wild bird seed I bought from a pet store. He also likes to nibble on my rosemary bush. Is this good diet for him?
Any advice you feel you could impart to a complete novice would be gratefully received. It is mostly sheer blind luck that I have managed to keep him alive this long, but we have come to adore him and would like to keep him healthy and happy. He is full of personality and can be quite the scoundrel.
By the way, I say 'he' for the sake of convenience. I have no idea of his/her gender.
Thanks in advance!


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

u can always let him fly around your yard if u dont wat to relaease him. as u mentioned he comes back to u.. and since he is the only one , he always will come back to you.. 
i used to take mine for daily flight outside , sun baths and such
i can imagine  they can be full of personalities  just like dogs..
sounds like he's havng fun


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Hello and welcome. First off, thank you for saving your pal's life. They are very wonderful birds, as you have discovered.
So, as you correctly point out...he is bonded to you and your daughter. So the question as to whether it's OK to keep him is sorta moot. He very likely cannot be re-released, really. And it sounds like he has a good life there. So if y'all are fine with dealing with the accompanying requirements and clean-up of keeping a Rock Dove as a companion...excellent.

A couple of points I'd offer:

1) DO be careful with the cats...keeping in mind that just a scratch or drop of cat saliva on broken or abraded skin can infect your friend and it would be lethal within 1-2 days if not discovered or treated with antibiotic. It takes very little from a cat claw or tooth to puncture a bird's skin and infect the pigeon....and their circulatory system is so finite that (unlike mammals) they are incapable of 'fighhting off' a viral infection themselves.

2) I do appreciate that your buddy gets outdoor time and zips back inside with you. This is a luxury for your friend. Do keep in mind that being an inside-outside bird runs its risks.
When outdoors, they are very defenseless to predators, vehicles, and such. Having not grown up with their parents to teach them the ways of a Feral, they have no concept or recognition of dangers, for the most part. You are his flock, thus he takes cues from you folks.
I would be very careful & vigilant when he is outside...I would monitor it and keep him in site. Also consider whether you have seen hawks in your area. They can scope out a location for days and weeks before making their move. Also rodents and raccoons are a consideration....
My point being, there isn't really such a thing as a half-feral, half-domesticated pigeon. Although they appear to be acting like a 'normal' pigeon outside, they are very ill-equipped at recognizing and reacting fast enough to typical bird dangers, & should they spook and get lost....they'd be in a bad situation.

OK, with all of that said..I agree w/ googa : it sounds like he has quite the fun life set up for himself ! Having him does NOT necessitate getting another as a companion. You COULD if you wanted to...but I wouldn't do it out of guilt or anything. Once you do, also keep in mind that oftentimes that is the beginnings of a loft right there (!)

If he stays inside and you are all cool with it, no particular reason to move him outside. And no, I do not believe Canadian winters would be appropriate for this fella. He would need weeks and weeks of acclimation to slowly declining temperatures in order to bridge living indoors to living outside. But if you want him to have some outside time unregulated a by you, a small and safe enclosure would be a good way to do that. Not for 24/7, but just as another 'place' he can spend time.

Sorry for the novel...hope this helps.


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## munchiehk (Jul 12, 2010)

*Thanks so much, folks.*

Your advice is much appreciated. I will be sure to watch him around the cats and in the back yard. I suspect he will be an indoor bird, primarily. I feel most reassured. Thanks!


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

*Pigeons as Pets*

You might enjoy the *Pigeons as Pets* blog.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

So, munchie...don't we get a cute picture ????????


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## jbrannig22 (Mar 26, 2011)

*Rock Dove help*

Hi, for the past 4 days I have had a pigeon fly near me and stays on my back deck till the morning and flies off. I have never fed him, he actually flew in my garage and stayed the nite. I had to shoo him out in the morning. He seemed like he liked staying indoors. Whenever I opened my back door he would try to fly in. Well I have 2 golden retrievers who I kept away from the bird but unfortunately, he came back on this cloudy day around 12 pm and he was actually hanging on the window flapping his wings as if he was teasing the dogs. My girlfriend couldnt believe it and walked out the back door and the bird flew above onto the roof. well, needless to say the one dog got out and the bird actually flew to him and he grabbed it and punctured below his neck but by the muscle of his wing. (well thats what a wildlife vet tech told me and so he would not let the bird go back with me. the bird seemed o.k. was walking and stopped bleeding. They told me that I could not keep a wildlife bird if I didn't have a license. They euthonized it and I feel so bad. I don't know why this bird took a liking to me, but he did and I didn't feed the bird at all. I am so devestated by this, I really feel that I could have healed him with some antibiotic drops and I already had him in a open crate with a towel over him. I held him until we got to the vet and he tried to get out of my hand. Why do vets do this? I would have never brought him there if I knew this. Why would a rock pigeon become so attached to me. I was walking the dogs yesterday and he was already on the back deck and he knew that I was in the front and flew to the front and was about 2 feet from my dogs and I. I don't understand, but I want to, so next time, I can familiarize myself with pigeons. My dad used to have a coup of pigeons when I was real young and now I just feel so bad about this bird, I guess I grew fond of him and his unique character. Help me please understand why this bird was not afraid of me or my dogs. Thank you so much.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

jbrannig22 said:


> Hi, for the past 4 days I have had a pigeon fly near me and stays on my back deck till the morning and flies off. I have never fed him, he actually flew in my garage and stayed the nite. I had to shoo him out in the morning. He seemed like he liked staying indoors. Whenever I opened my back door he would try to fly in. Well I have 2 golden retrievers who I kept away from the bird but unfortunately, he came back on this cloudy day around 12 pm and he was actually hanging on the window flapping his wings as if he was teasing the dogs. My girlfriend couldnt believe it and walked out the back door and the bird flew above onto the roof. well, needless to say the one dog got out and the bird actually flew to him and he grabbed it and punctured below his neck but by the muscle of his wing. (well thats what a wildlife vet tech told me and so he would not let the bird go back with me. the bird seemed o.k. was walking and stopped bleeding. They told me that I could not keep a wildlife bird if I didn't have a license. They euthonized it and I feel so bad. I don't know why this bird took a liking to me, but he did and I didn't feed the bird at all. I am so devestated by this, I really feel that I could have healed him with some antibiotic drops and I already had him in a open crate with a towel over him. I held him until we got to the vet and he tried to get out of my hand. Why do vets do this? I would have never brought him there if I knew this. Why would a rock pigeon become so attached to me. I was walking the dogs yesterday and he was already on the back deck and he knew that I was in the front and flew to the front and was about 2 feet from my dogs and I. I don't understand, but I want to, so next time, I can familiarize myself with pigeons. My dad used to have a coup of pigeons when I was real young and now I just feel so bad about this bird, I guess I grew fond of him and his unique character. Help me please understand why this bird was not afraid of me or my dogs. Thank you so much.


Pigeons come from domestic stock which have gone feral..so they adjust to living with humans well esp if food is given.. he could of been a lost bird from someone else and they just did not put a band on his leg.. or he was a young feral looking for food or even if maturing looking for a place to make a nest.. I do not know why they have the rule to euth...it is stupid.. more vets need to come to their aid just like any other animal or pet.... but I guess they have their reasons.. I just do not care what they are..because death vs living happy with a person or with a flock is better.. sorry this happend to you.. do not blame yourself, you did not know.. not all vets would euth..I know two here who do not.. if you get a hurt or sick pigeons this site could help you help them..or a link to a rehabber near you..


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## jbrannig22 (Mar 26, 2011)

thank you so much.


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## doveone52 (Aug 3, 2009)

I believe pigeons DO have an innate sense of someone who cares. I had a hen who was wild as a hare but I helped her raise her babies once. During that time, we developed a bond. That was over a year ago, but to this day I will catch her watching me with very soft eyes and I can pick her up at any time and she seems as fond of me as I am of her!
They are special creatures!


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