Pigeons
Standard Rock dove pictured above. Known commonly as a Feral pigeon.
Pigeons are a species we get multiple calls a day for. Pigeons are a part of the Columbidae family along with doves.
Pigeons get in all kinds of predicaments, From injuries due to motor vehicles, other animals and each other. Its a interesting fact that pigeons tend to get eaten by other bird species, especially crows and magpies.
Pigeons carry multiple variations of diseases. most commonly being influencer A, but lots of other disease variations exist and some can be contracted from pigeon to human. Meaning if you handle or have access to lots of pigeons you may become exposed to illness, If you plan on having constant interactions with the birds then it is recommended to speak with you GP and see if there’s any vaccinations or other health and safety measures you need to take.
What do pigeons scavenge and eat?
Trash: Pigeons will scavenge from rubbish bins
Pet food: Pigeons will eat pet food left outside.
Food cartons: Pigeons will eat food left behind in boxes and packets.
Stale bread: Pigeons will eat stale bread.
Fruits: Pigeons will eat fruits like grapes, raisins, plums, cherries, and blueberries.
Grains: Pigeons will eat grains, leafy greens, herbs, and weeds.
Small insects: Pigeons will eat small insects, snails, and worms.
Most pigeons have adapted from standard eating habits such as eating grains, fruits and small insects. To now scavenging for just about anything they possibly can, making food an available source anywhere.
They are monogamous and build flimsy platform nests of small sticks, twigs and leaves. Usually around houses in suburbia in areas such as near the roof, sheds, on water drainage pipes (closest to the roof) and around public places like public restrooms & playgrounds.
Out in more natural enviroments’s they prefer cliff faces and high buildings.
Pigeons have around 5-6 broods per year, each brood containing 1-2 eggs occasionally will lay 3. They stay nested for the short period of 4 weeks before they begin to fledge. Majority of our calls to Rescue or Assist is for fledglings, due to the development and bird appearing too young public frequently become concerned for the birds health, safety and ability to survive. All birds go through this phase as its a stage of survival, Fledglings are learning how to fly, forage and defend themselves at this point, usually the parents aren’t too far from the baby/babies and tend to scare off any predators.
If for some reason the young isn’t at 4 weeks old and becomes separated from the nest, the young bird will then usually be unwelcome back to the nest. In these instances we advise of the bird going to the vet where a medical check can be completed and the baby pigeon can be placed into care with a experienced carer.
When a pigeon manages to find itself injured and the public contacts us, We generally advise of a course of action rather then race out to the bird unless for some reason the concerns make us worry that the community member can not handle the case ( for a instance - the bird is showing signs of a disease ). When we do advise the public, Native Rescue Initiative give 2 general decisions depending on the birds condition and the call. One may be that the bird is placed in a towel, small blanket etc. then in a carrier or box to transport the animal to a Veterinary Clinic, We ask where your located and we will generally suggest the best option on clinics we know and have worked with. Or option B is to leave the bird, ( for instance - A member of the community called recently concerned for a pigeon getting attacked by magpies. The concerned member of the public was unaware that birds eat birds, and therefore was extremely distressed about the condition of the pigeon. Which i will not mention to keep things simple. After discussing the condition of the bird, I was aware it was likely not actually very alive, and probably only seeming so because of adrenaline. Adrenaline makes a lot of animals appear to be alive (even when they are not) for a period of time, along with nerve spasms and other bodily behaviors. The member of public and i discussed that the bird is probably minutes away from passing (or stopping moving) and in this situation it was better to leave nature take its course as was already happening when we started the call. The concerned community member asked a few more questions and confirmed when the animal has stopped moving, declaring that more birds had made their way to what would have been lunch.) The other cases we have are usually entanglements which need to go straight to a Veterinary Clinic to be helped, that is not usually a case where nature can run its course. Additionally we get regular calls in regards to Fledglings, fledglings tend to be in the wrong place more often then not, and people usually move them, We advise to leave them where they are if possible. Mum and Dad usually are not far and will be watching and protecting from a distance. Risks of moving the fledging’s include getting lost, parents resenting and kicking the young from the nest, and potential risks of stress & predators.
Today ( 14/01/2025 ) we had a different kind of call, we usually don’t get many disease related calls. What was initially a Fledgling in a silly place with health risks that were not disease based, Quite quickly turned to a disease concern situation. The member of our community found a second fledgling in really bad condition and health, in the same location as the first. Very fast acting we got images and were able to get a quick evaluation over the phone with the public member stating the animal was shaking, not moving, looked lethargic & making odd sounds. Image showed bird Sitting in nesting position, had loss of feathers & structure of the left over ones was not great and looked like was deteriorating, yellow substance near eyes with closed eyes.
Immediately prompting the need for sanitization and contact to the disease control team. The team contacted me back pretty fast, Confirming the birds did not have influenzer A, but a different avian disease. Meaning we were able to control the spread and Health officials have knowledge of the case.
I cannot thank the public enough for their care and calls. Without all our members of the community who contact any of the wildlife rescues we could not do the role, Help the wildlife or provide information and education to the community. Native Rescue Initiative truly hope all who call us have a good experiance and learn something new!