We watched a pigeon attack a young pigeon (fluffy, rotund) by jumping on its back and pecking furiously at it on the back of the young bird's head and around its eyes and it only stopped when I opened the kitchen window and shouted. The young bird prior to this has been lying flat and only moving its head to look around in the shade of the hedge at the side of our house. Half an hour later the young pigeon had made it out of the garden, across the street and it was in the neighbours' garden lying and looking around. It has now disappeared.
My question is? Do you think it is likely the attack was territorially motivated: or was it a parent trying to scare some activity into a young bird or was it just a straightforward malevolent attack on a younger bird?
My guess would be the youngster had strayed into another pigeon's territory, too close to a nest site. The adult probably has its own young not far away.
Cheers
Colin
Hi Murf, and welcome to the forum,
What a strange thing to witness. Do you think the young bird was ill before the attack? Fluffy, rotund, lying flat? Could it have been the dreaded trichomonias disease that affects pigeons and finches? If so, you may have a problem
Cheers, Linda.
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