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Wood pigeon with holes in wings

Sam28
23/07/2020 14:28

Hi, 

I recently found a wood pigeon wondering around the front of my house. It looked like it was diseased, couldn’t fly and kept hiding under the car so I decided to take care of it. 

I encouraged it to walk into my back garden and I’ve been looking after it ever since. It has plumped up a lot and been attempting to fly but just can’t get the height. 

I noticed today he/she has little holes all over the inside of his/her wings. 

Does anyone know what this could be? 

  • 23/07/2020 14:52
    Can you take a picture of it's wing damage Sam?
  • 23/07/2020 15:09

    Sounds as if someone has been taking pot shots at it,   sadly a lot of birds become targets for air rifles and idiots that have nothing better to do with their time.   What a shame the bird is injured,  as Wendy says, try take a few photos and you may be able to get a clearer idea as to what could have caused the holes in the wing,   I really hope it isn't as a result of being shot at,  could have been attacked by another bird or cat for instance.     If you are able to gain its confidence and catch this wood pigeon you can try THIS LINK to get some wildlife help for it.     You just enter your location and species (bird) and it should give you a list of local rescue help;    it has been more difficult to get help for wildlife recently with lockdown and ongoing Covid problems.    Good luck and let us know how you get on.  

    When you said it looked diseased,  it is possible this wood pigeon could have Trichomonosis which would make it lethargic and a possible target for predators.    Take a LOOK HERE for information on Trichomonosis.    The bird would have fluffed up appearance, sometimes damp looking plumage and it would have difficulty swallowing.  It would also drink more water.     

  • 23/07/2020 16:54 in reply to WendyBartter
    I’m out at the moment so might not be able to get photos until tomorrow but I haven't actually touched the bird as I didn’t want to cause it any distress. It doesn’t like you getting too close so I don’t think il be able to actually lift its wing up for a photo. I only noticed because they were sat on the decking in my back garden this morning and they just kept lifting the wing right up and stretching it out as far as they could and then I noticed loads of little holes, it looks more like the feathers have been plucked from there. You can’t see from the outside of the wing only when they lift it up
  • 23/07/2020 17:01 in reply to HAZY
    Thankyou, well it looks a lot healthier than when I first found it. Looking at it now it looks quite healthy to be honest, it’s been eating and drinking ok. It does spend a lot of time sat fluffed up but will normally have a stroll around the garden on an afternoon and be a bit more inquisitive. I thought it may have just been a young pigeon and wasn’t t ready to fly yet but it’s been in the garden for over a week now and is still no further forward with flying and then this morning I noticed the little gaps in its wings
  • 23/07/2020 17:18

    If it is a young woodpigeon it wouldn't show a full white collar as with adult woodpigeons; the juveniles have no white on their collar but gain it gradually as they grow into adult plumage. If it has damage to its wing it could have been catted and may need more time to recover. Hopefully there is no extensive damage to the wings and it will eventually fly. I would keep an eye on it from a distance; woodpigeons naturally spend a lot of time on the ground strolling around as they forage for food,  seed, berries, etc.;

  • 23/07/2020 17:48
    An extract from Irish Wildlife Matters ... **Wood pigeons easily stressed - highly susceptible to fatal handling stress**
    I had come across this in the past when dealing with Woodies that had been shot & landed in my garden!
  • 23/07/2020 19:39 in reply to HAZY
    Yes il keep an eye on it. Think it’s definitely a juvenile as it doesn’t have a white collar.

    Do you think it could be some sort of mite damage?
  • 23/07/2020 19:57 in reply to Sam28
    Sam28 said:
    Do you think it could be some sort of mite damage?

    Hard to say without seeing the type of injury/damage to the wing/s but from what you describe with holes it could have been caught by something or indeed shot at.    

  • 23/07/2020 21:23 in reply to HAZY
    Il try and get some photos tomorrow.

    How do I send a photo through here?
  • 23/07/2020 21:30 in reply to Sam28
    Sam28 said:
    How do I send a photo through here?

    Have a look at how to post up a photo which forum member Alan was kind enough to explain HERE