News about pigeons in Dora’s aviary at Pigeons As Pets

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Feral Pigeon Project - Research blog to answer some of the mysteries about feral pigeons.
Knitted Pigeons at Revati.co.uk - Buy a knitted pigeon from Revati
Matilda's List - An international list and directory of pigeon friendly veterinarians and rehabbers.
Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Adoptions - Organisation dedicated to the rescue of doves and pigeons in the San Francisco Bay area.
Pandemonium Aviaries - Organisation dedicated to preventing the extinction of targeted avian species through conservation and education.
Pigeon Aid UK - A site that provides advice for those who have picked up a sick, injured or baby pigeon and need guidance.
Pigeon and Dove Rescue - A website aimed at providing help for anyone that has rescued a pigeon or dove by providing details of pigeon friendly rescue centres, vets and guidance on how to care for orphaned, sick or injured pigeons.
Pigeon Angels - A forum dedicated to the support & care of all pigeons, feral or fancy, that find themselves in jeopardy.
Pigeon Blog - A bona fide urban pigeon telling it how it is for the pigeons of London.
Pigeon Control Advisory Service (PiCAS) - PiCAS specialises in the provision of non-lethal, holistic and sustainable bird control systems, which will result in a permanent reduction in bird numbers.
Pigeon Control Resource Centre (PCRC) - An online resource for anyone with a pigeon-related problem. All information and advice provided on the website is geared towards completely solving pigeon control problems by the use of humane and non-lethal control methods.
Pigeon Rescue Team (UK) - A group aiming to help and rescue pigeons in the area of London
Pigeon Tales - Interesting blog following the lives of a family of feral pigeons living with the author.
Pigeon-Talk - A global forum open to all pigeon lovers.
Rescue Report - Wonderful blog about fostering and adopting pigeons (from MickaCoo Pigeon & Dove Rescue).
Urban Wildlife Society - Their mission is to promote appreciation for all animals, particularly pigeons, that share the city and suburbs with humans. The website is filled with information and articles about inhumane pest control and offers advice on alternative measures.
Wild Bird Fund - Website for the non-profit organization that provides assistance for wild birds, including feral pigeons, in New York City.
Wing and a Prayer Bird Haven - Wild bird rescue centre and sanctuary in Norfolk, UK

Pigeon Rescue: people who can help
Links to various pigeon-friendly organisations, groups, rescue centres, and vets that can help with injured, ill or orphaned pigeons and doves.

The problem of chronic egg laying
Talking about the problem of continuous egg laying in birds (e.g. risks to health) and possible solutions.

Welfare of fancy pigeons
Discussing the genetic welfare problems of some fancy pigeon breeds.

How to tell if a pigeon is male or female
Explaining a bit about sexing pigeons.

The scoop on pigeon poop!
Are pigeon faeces dangerous to humans and can it be used as fertiliser?

Pet pigeons - what we mean
Explaining what we mean when we talk about keeping pigeons as pets. In brief: We mean keeping tame, imprinted or disabled pigeons that would not otherwise survive in the wild.

Feral pigeons and disease – do pigeons carry disease?
Do pigeons pose a threat to the public and your health. The quick answer is: No, they do not. Don’t believe me? Well, read the full article to find out.

Hand-rearing pigeons - right or wrong?
Controversial post on whether it is right to hand-rear a pigeon on its own and therefore potentially cause them to become imprinted on humans.

Invisible babies
Why we don’t normally see baby pigeons, their growth rate (photos included) and info on what to do if you find a baby pigeon.

Pigeon Rescue: what to do with injured, ill and orphaned pigeons
Information on what to do, as well as links to various sites about pigeon rescue.

News about pigeons in Dora’s aviary

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Last week at work I noticed that one of the disabled pigeons in Dora’s aviary was sitting down a lot and was very reluctant to move about. It was Teresa, an old girl with a broken wing (old injury). After examing her I found that she had hurt one of her legs, however, there wasn’t anything obvious (no breaks, cuts, etc.). She was just reluctant to use it. So I took Teresa into the intensive care unit (I.C.U.) to receive the care and bed rest she needs.

Teresa in a hospital cage

Teresa is still in I.C.U. on medication (pain relief, etc.) and bed rest, and she’s eating lots and her droppings are normal. I’m hoping she’ll be on her legs and back in the aviary with her friends soon.

In other news, we have two new resident pigeons to join Dora and the gang!

Burko, a tame feral pigeon

Burko is a grey checker feral pigeon that was found on the ground in February. He was healthy but was simply not flying. It is thought that he had just fledged and maybe got dazed and confused. After a bit of care Burko started flying again.

Tux, a tame feral pigeon

Tux is a black and white pied feral pigeon. She was found in March, all wet and oily with a damaged left wing. The wing healed within a few months, by which time Burko had wooed his way into Tux’s heart, since the two had been living in the same house together (with a few cats too). Both are a bit too friendly towards people and cats so they cannot be released and were brought to my work for rehoming.

Burko and Tux in their new home

Tux and Burko settled in fine in Dora’s aviary and I’m sure they’ll be sitting on eggs soon (fake ones when I sneakily replace them). I cannot wait to get to know them better. When they were in the isolation pen Burko kept attacking my fingers in a playful manner, so I can see he’s a very feisty pigeon, however, Tux was not so keen to interact with me. I think she’s a bit more timid and may take a while to get used to me and her new surroundings.

Some of the pigeons in Dora's aviary

Remember Birdie girl? Unfortunately, she hasn’t chosen a mate yet. Neither Button or Davey have stolen her heart. I’m afraid she may never choose a pigeon mate, rather preferring a human companion. If she seems unhappy I will have to rehome her to a loving home, however, at the moment she doesn’t seem unhappy with the pigeons. I will keep an eye on her and assess the situation later. On a happier note, Birdie’s feathers are growing back so she should look like a proper pigeon soon.

List of all the current resident pigeons (fancy or disabled) at my work:

DORA – female - fancy pigeon (paired with Pidge)
PIDGE – male - feral pigeon (paired with Dora)
GERTIE – female - racing pigeon (paired with Marmaduke)
MARMADUKE – male - Archangel breed (paired with Gertie)
FLEUR – female - fancy pigeon (paired with Marmalade)
MARMALADE – male - Archangel breed (paired with Fleur)
MADDIE – female - feral pigeon (paired with Lord Nelson)
LORD NELSON – male - West of England Tumbler breed (paired with Maddie)
PEACHES – female - fancy pigeon (paired with Stanley)
STANLEY – male - feral pigeon (paired with Peaches)
SPECKLES – female - feral pigeon (paired with Horatio)
HORATIO – male - Highflyer/Tippler breed (paired with Speckles)
LUMI – female - feral pigeon (paired with Turk)
TURK – male - Turkish Takla breed (paired with Lumi)
MOUSIE – female - racing pigeon (paired with Rudderford)
RUDDERFORD – male - feral pigeon (paired with Mousie)
TERESA – female - feral pigeon (single)
DAVEY – male - feral pigeon (single)
BUTTON – male - feral pigeon (single)
BIRDIE – female - feral pigeon (single)
TUX – female - feral pigeon (paired with Burko)
BURKO – male – feral pigeon (paried with Tux)