Dead pigeon in drive

[cockneylass]

I have just found a dead pigeon in my drive, innards out. Saw another in a similar state in a path nearby a few days ago. Would cats usually leave pigeons where they kill them? Or something else- another bird? This is the first time I’ve seen this here- let alone twice in as many days….

I’m pretty squeamish and super grossed out about how to dispose of it? Really wouldn’t know where to start but obviously don’t want to leave it just sat in the drive. What should I do? Help please!

Pick it up like you would dog poo. Put your hand in a plastic bag, pick up corpse, turn hand over and pull up sides of bag, tie top, put in bin.

If you can't bear to touch in even through plastic, slide a spade under it, bag and bin.

Just me and kids. I really don’t know what to do with it- I’m not sure I can handle picking it up 😳

If you can face leaving it overnight foxes will deal with it.

Yes I was thinking to leave it overnight and hope something would take it…. I’ve never seen foxes around here though. Would a cat take it? I don’t get why whatever killed it, left it!

Must be the season for it as I had a dead pigeon in my garden, apparently killed by a hawk according to dp.

I did exactly as @Hedgerow2 said, although I double-bagged it.

id say a creature was disturbed from finishing. Years ago we’d discover just loads of feathers as evidence. Occasionally more than that. Would leave or cover a bit with leaves and it would all be gone the next day. Otherwise I’d do as hedgerow2 instructs.

It might have been attacked by a bird of prey, like a sparrowhawk. I saw one once attack a pigeon while I was just looking out of my front room window.
It seems a shame to bin it as it could be food for wildlife. Is there any way you could use your boot or a spade to shove it in some undergrowth?

Leave it for today, and a fox or something will probably take it.

If it is still there tomorrow, pick it up with a spade and put it in the dustbin or if you are in the countryside in the hedgerow or field (if you have one by your house)

I cannot stand picking up dead birds. Unfortunately we have massive windows that baby birds fly into in spring and break their necks.

I throw some kitchen towel over them so I can't see it and use a litter picker to pick it and put it in a carrier bag.

Literally just stick your hand in a plastic bag like a PP suggested.

It’s not nice but it’s necessary 🤷‍♀️

Pick it up with a shovel.

We get lots, as we have a big garden that backs onto a ruined convent with huge, overgrown grounds that is these days pretty much a de facto wild-life sanctuary, with a lot of rabbits and owls and other birds of prey feeding off them and other small animals.

Put on your thickest washing up gloves. Take an old newspaper out and put that down over it. Hold wodges of paper towel in each hand. Put a spade down, use your hands to move the newspaper onto the spade. Have a black bag ready and put everything in it. I had to do something similar when I had a bunch of dead frogs in my garden.

It's just a dead bird .... As others have suggested you have two/three options. Leave it to be consumed by a predator, or bag it and bin, or chuck in a hedge if you have access to a field.

Sparrowhawk probably, although they usually fly off with them leaving a pile of feathers.

Their innards come out if they are hit by a car too. I know from experience. Shovel and into the brown bin.

I would leave it, from experience it will disappear soon and be dinner for a fox. Cats won't take it.

Birds of all sizes seem to find the bifold doors in our kitchen an absolute magnet and I’ve lost count of the number of corpses I’ve found following a bird strike.

We have a leaf grabber (two big plastic scoopy things) which I use to collect the remains and pop them into a bin bag when DH pretends not to see them is not around. Not the most dignified burial, but I can’t bear grabbing their squidgy bodies, even through a bag. We had one blackbird/raven/buzzard thing last year that was the size of an eagle (to my non-expert eyes) which was especially grim to dispose of.

Ok thank you so much all- I do really appreciate the replies, advice and anecdotes!

100% I’d leave it and have done when a road kill one was left at the end of my drive. The fox took it in the night as predicted.

Fox probably after a car hit it.
My DD needed a dead animal fur her A level art project and found an intact pigeon on the pavement on her way to school and delightedly told me to quickly get it and stick it in the freezer. I wrapped it in about a dozen plastic bags.

Leave it, something will be happy for the food.

Picking it up with a bag isn’t that bad though.

Post on Facebook local groups, asking if someone will get rid of it for £10/£20. You'll probably get a teenager or someone offering to do it.