Injured pigeon in the garden, what should I do?

[Raera]

I've got an injured pigeon in the garden, any suggestions what to do. I don't think it can fly, but can't get near it, it flaps around and jumps away.

I had an injured pigeon in my garden once. I eventually managed to catch it and took it to the vets where they put it down as it had an infected wound. I guess a cat or fox will get it soon if you don’t catch it.

Do you know of any local wildlife rescues? Maybe Google and see if there are any. I'm in South East and out one has many volunteers who will come out and rescue sick and injured birds.

I wouldn't try and catch it. It's a wild animal that could be carrying lots of disease.

I guess call the RSPCA? It probably will end up attacked by cats?

They didn't seem to want to send anyone out for a fox with it's head stuck through my wall. I was getting worried it would die of dehydration as it was summer. But they guy was like 'if it got in it must be able to get out' and sure enough, while I was still on the call, it got free and ran off! After 12 hours?!

If you're in London OP I've used these guys before, I whatsapped them too, v helpful https://www.londonwildlifeprotection.org/

The kindest thing to do is to stick a bag over it and wring its neck. But I'm a country girl and no doubt most would put it in a box, traipse it to the emergency vet and let it die of shock in the process.

Let nature take its course. A fox or buzzard or kite will have it soon enough.

Don't stress it out by repeatedly trying to approach it. It might be better just to leave it alone.

I'd do this too. Put it out of it's misery 😔

Thanks for the suggestions, it went walkabout and has gone under the fence to next door, so I've messaged to let her know. She's more of a country girl than me!
We're in Yorkshire, not London. There is a local sparrow hawk with a penchant for pigeons but he does a thorough job, so it must be something else that got this poor pigeon.

One is probably not enough for a pie…?

I’ve normally put them in a box where I thought it unlikely that cats/fox would get to, with the idea that if they hadn’t managed to fly away by the next day I would take them to the vet.

There's a great group on fb called 'Pigeon Protection and Acton UK' or similar. They'll have someone in your area(I am also in Yorkshire).

The sparrowhawk is unlikely to be interested once it is on the ground, they are strictly aerial predators. Buzzards and kites however are ground predators and will happily take an injured pigeon.