Fledgling wood pigeon or collar dove. - HELP

Hi all, 

Found a fledgling next to a busy dual-carriageway. No trees, undergrowth or bushes in sight. Pouring with rain and freezing cold so rescued it (only kind thing to do in the circumstance). It was not difficult to pick up although it hopped around a little bit. 

Due to being found on Saturday morning, we've been unable to reach any rescue centers and the ones we've managed to get in touch with today, either aren't too interested or are too far away to collect. (Sadly we have no means to travel to one as no car). 

We've followed general advice read online and in this forum, we got it back, warmed it up and it perked up - a lot. It;s been a happy little chappy, drinking and eating (pecking up food for itself) but this afternoon has become very lethargic and tends to just sleep/sit. We've been keeping it warm without trying to cook it but it's not really doing much now. We really don't want it to die, it's a lovely friendly little thing and deserves a chance. It doesn't do much chirping atall either.

Initially it tried to do some flying but wobbles over when it does. It now seems to have given up on that idea and prefers to trot around the house or sit. It doesn't wobble around when walking, only when it tried to fly, it doesn't seem to either have the hang of it yet or we're worried there is something wrong with it. It does not appear to have any injuries. We've bought it some bird feed which has seeds etc, we've tried it on some small bread lumps. 

We live in a mostly built-up area with barely any outside space and lots of neighbouring cats. We don't want to leave it outside as the neighbour cat has been seen several times savaging birds. 

We would really appreciate some help, ie - How long until it can fly, and therefore be released. How much it should eat/drink. Should we be thinking about force-feeding it/forcing fluids into it.

We've read somewhere that some green-looking droppings means it's starving, however they seem to come and go. Please see the pics and any advice would be amazing!

  • I imagine the Wood Pidge will be on 3 or 4 20ml feeds a day until it begins to self feed. It should bulk up pretty quickly.

    Unicum arbustum haud alit duos erithacos

    (One bush does not shelter two Robins)

    Zenodotus (3rd Century B.C.)

     

  • Sad news about my poor little hoggie ... passed away about an hour ago as they were trying to rehydrate him! Stress & illness just too much!

     

     2013 photos & vids here

    eff37 on Flickr

  • Doh! Wendy, you did( as you always do) your best, )

     

  • Run free little Hoggie

    Unicum arbustum haud alit duos erithacos

    (One bush does not shelter two Robins)

    Zenodotus (3rd Century B.C.)

     

  • Oh dear Wendy, so very sorry to hear about the sick hoggie but as always everyone did their very best and it wasn't suffering in the wild alone. Sad news indeed :(

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    Regards, Hazel 

  • Unknown said:
    I imagine the Wood Pidge will be on 3 or 4 20ml feeds a day until it begins to self feed. It should bulk up pretty quickly.

    Hopefully it will fatten up quickly with the 3 feeds a day;   hoping for a better outcome than poor hoggie.    Fingers and toes crossed.

    I asked the wildlife centre about the hoggies they were treating and it appears that usually less than half of them survive.   Poor stats for the hoggies :(

    _________________________________________________________________________

    Regards, Hazel 

  • Sorry about the poor wee hoggie Wendy, you did all that you could have. It will no longer be in any pain and away to hoggie heaven.

    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

  • Well done, Everyone, and especially Lee, Hazel, Mike and MC, on the rescue of the young Wood Pigeon.
    And commiserations to Wendy about your Hoglet. You did your very best.

    Kind regards, Ann

  • Thanks all for your commiserations, goes with the territory when so involved with feeding & preservation of this too fast declining species ... they are not easy to treat as they stress very easily when poorly & that alone can kill! However it will not stop me from trying again should the need arise ... itm I am delighted to be able to feed & film my little brood here!
    Hope there will be good news of little Woodie soon!

     

     2013 photos & vids here

    eff37 on Flickr

  • Hello folks, I'm afraid I have rather sad news - the 3 week old woodpigeon didn't make it and passed away on Thursday, 2 days after we took it to the wildlife hospital. Despite their best efforts to feed and care for it immediately the bird must have been either too undernourished prior to being found or had other underlying issues. It was a rather sad, albeit short walk back from the hospital which is just over 10 mins away :( as Paul would say "fly free little pidge".

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    Regards, Hazel