Hi all
We have a Wood Pigeon that appears to have issues flying, stuck in our garden; she (I think) can fly for approximately 20ft, very close to the floor, so I assume she has a wing issue maybe? I give her some food every day to try build her strength up but I don't want to put her in a box or take her to a vet because her partner is often checking in on her and if I take her away or even try to get her in the shed (for protection from cats) I feel her partner would worry and stress.
Any ideas on what I can/should do?
Hi inglesant and welcome to the community forum. I'm not an expert by any means but will try to provide a little information for you. Woodpigeons tend to spend a lot of time foraging on the ground and often stay in family groups; they have a long breeding season so it's possible that this may be a juvenile especially if you see no ( or less ) white around the collar ..... It is also possible the bird may have sustained an injury with window strike or other obstacle and in most cases they will often recover in time. With the other woodpigeon in attendance I would advise to just keep watch and wait for a while before intervening, as you say, it could cause more stress for the bird. Just provide a little seed (and water is important for them to as they drink a lot) as too much seed might attract unwanted predators. Good luck and hope you see your woodpigeon take flight to the trees soon. Best advice is never intervene unless seeing a very obvious serious injury or if the bird is in immediate danger.