Baby Pigeon on the street

Did you call a vet to see if you could drop it off? They might be able to take care of it till it's ready to fly.

If they don't wanna help you. . . you could take it and put it in a box , maybe you could just drop it off infront of a vet office , and go. . .I think they could really help it since they are animal docs and all.

Or--just pick it up if you can and move it onto the grass if it's on the sidewalk or near the street.

I don't know what else to say. Poor birdie.

Maybe you and Papi could adopt it and raise it? I don't think its an easy thing though.

Don't feel bad if you can't help , atleast you cared enough to try.

(another bird poem)

was little bird pushed?

down on the ground he lay there

or maybe he jumped

It will probably die without the warmth of the mama bird.

I've raised a bunch of baby birds. If you take it in, mushy dry cat food + banana = yummy for little birdie.

oh that's so sad. I hope someone doesn't stomp it. People do that. :-(

Subject: some corrected information and ideas...

there's some wrong information going on here. I have rescued many pigeons young and otherwise. I wasn't online yesterday. If you are sure that is THE nest, putting the bird back is fine. Often it isn't that the mother pushes the bird OUT (although you do hear that happens sometimes but I'm not sure how often and I don't know if pigeons do that actually...) but that the bird is overly excitable and wants food from the mom or watches the mom fly away, and 'falls' ... inadvertently 'hops' out. Pigeons only lay two eggs so it's not like other birds where there are too 'many.' There are times the bird only needs one or two more days and he or she will be okay on its own. It's always hard decisions that have to be made usually quickly. Your concern and caring are amazing.

What you can do - and thanks for trying to get the bird back and talking to the restaurant owner !!... is bring the bird inside in a box (once you've assessed all the other factors or even while you are doing so.... you can always bring the bird 'back') and go to www.nycprc.org. there's a place to submit injured or found bird reports and a phone # to call for advice. Realize it's all people like you and me who have learned a lot so as much as YOU can do and follow through is helpful.

(nycprc - new york city pigeon rescue central)

There's also an animal hospital on the upper west side, Animal General, which will help out. (Animal Kind on 7th avenue used to - for a vet fee - but no longer looks after birds unfortunately.)

Can you look around a bit more because the bird could have moved and hidden somewhere?

Was the bird fully feathered? Did it have yellow feathers on its head? Any other description to figure out how far along it might have been...?

If the bird could hop around that's a good thing.

I once came across a bird that needed a few more days before flying fully and leaving the nest, on 5th avenue and 2nd street. It had fallen from the nest above a store - the parents were still feeding while he or she was on the ground. A wildlife rehabilitator helped me and we got a ladder and put the bird back up top. The next day the bird flew back down but at least it was getting closer to being 'okay.' I saw where the bird would hide at night (behind a flower pot) and decided that it would be okay (no cats, etc. as far as I knew - it was still iffy but...) there. And after a few nerve wracking days, I saw the bird take his or her first flight! It was very exciting. So that can happen too - it's always best to leave *with* the parents if possible - but not always 'safe.' You sort of have to assess each situation.

Thanks for trying to help!

brooklynpotter wrote:
mama, even if you could put it back up there the mother bird would reject it so there's really nothing you can do.


this is not true.

I had always heard that mothers reject the baby once there is human scent on them. I admit I haven't actually seen it tho.

yeah it's sort of an old 'myth.' (about mothers rejecting the babies once touched or even if returned in general.)

not sure where it came from!

Drano will abstain from this discussion due to his dislike of pigeons.

He will, however, post so he gets to use the royal third person.

its sad but there are tons of pigeons in the city already. let nature take care of it.

Subject: hmmm...

armchair_warrior wrote: its sad but there are tons of pigeons in the city already. let nature take care of it.

I just don't agree. There are tons of people too! I think the person's inclination was right to try to help.

Then again, people do seem to get the short end of the 'stick' a lot of times so maybe that attitude is going on here in NYC and U.S. in general.

Anyway, I think it's kind to help out if you can.
It's not a matter of #'s. ?!

Saw this little guy at bbg last week.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/caaah/624812913/in/set-72157600419387269/

I hope he found a parent. Thanks, cat, for disspelling that myth about returning the bird to the nest. Its one of those things you just hear and believe, but never try to find out if its true!

That's great that you would stop to help a lost animal.
Who said we're sensible anyway???
Sense is overrated

Subject: sounding good... heartening.

thanks dakotas way, caaahyoko, armchair warrior... your comments are all heartening. It's true, sense is overrated! and then who determines what makes 'sense?' I'd say caring makes more sense than the alternative.

caseopele, it sounds like you did a GREAT thing! if the mother or father is visiting and feeding the bird (most likely if they are visiting, as you say) that's really great. very clever putting the wine crate on the fire escape right under where the nest is!

so the bird had gotten down too early obviously? from watching the attempts to fly, how long before the bird flies out? I don't think it's supposed to rain but there are things you could feed the bird temporarily if you had to bring him or her in for awhile.

there's a starling message board actually called Starling Talk. I'm not sure of the exact web address but if you think you need more info, that's a good place to ask. !! good luck & thank you!

(I can't even get into the cat killed by the dog. that sounds too upsetting!)