Injured pigeon - what the hell do I do

[shoulditbethishard1]

An injured pigeon has landed on my drive, it looks like it might have been hit by a car, it can flap its wings but it’s like it’s back end is stuck to the floor and it can’t get up.

I think it’s days are numbered but I’ve just been back out there, it’s breathing very heavily, I don’t want it to suffer needlessly but I couldn’t put an end to its misery myself.

vets won’t be interested, RSPB won’t be interested.

what would you do?

Lots of birds get stunned after being hit by cars or colliding with windows. They just need some time to be safe and quiet for an hour or so, then will fly away normally. Pop it in a box and keep it dark, away from pets and noises. Don't release it after dark.

Vets will just euthanise by neck wringing. They won't go to the expense of caring for a pigeon.

If it's not perked up and ready to fly, then pick it up and carefully feel that the wings aren't broken and that it can stand and flap symmetrically. Birds can die of stress, so if it goes floppy while you're handling it, put it back in the box and close the lid for a bit.

Try not to end up with it flying indoors. If you do bring it in and it gets loose, close the curtains and then stand still.

If it's not ready to fly away, you might try putting it in your garage overnight with a shallow plate of water and a pile of breadcrumbs til the morning.

If it's been scratched or bitten by a cat, it will likely be dead by morning due to pasteurella bacteria on cat teeth and claws.

If the pigeon had damaged wing bones or is still groggy after a night's safekeeping, then you could try a specialist wildlife rescue service.

I agree that the weird animal haters have arrived. Yawn. Same old.

I’m a vet nurse and we would always advise to bring a bird you find injured into us. Sometimes they are ok, sometimes they are euthanised. It is much kinder than leaving them to be eaten alive or die over a long period of time. Please take it to the vet OP.

And to confirm, we don’t wrong their neck, they are injected. Total rubbish on this thread.

OP, if it can’t fly you can get it out from under your car by using something long handled to guide it out. The quickest way to catch is by using an old tea towel/towel/pillow case and quickly throw it over it and then quickly pick it up (don’t hesitate, I’m used to this as my husband won’t pick them up as he doesn’t like the flapping!)

It will be so, so light to carry. Gently put it in the box (needs air holes) and I usually tape the lid down. Then a quiet, cool room away from direct sun and noise.

Them honestly please use Facebook for your local wildlife rescues or the page I posted above. There are so many people willing to help.

Or a local vets normally have one vet on site if it’s a large practice-they will take it from you. Much kinder if it needs putting to sleep then be out dying slowly/kicked etc by people.

don’t WRING their neck

Just read your update. I would probably watch it from a distance to keep cats away.
If it's well enough to get away from you, it might well be able to get itself up into a tree to recover tonight.
Fingers crossed!

@DogAndCatMama i know, I can’t believe people are saying such weird things.
When I’ve taken them to the vets if very badly injured they were put to sleep with kindness and care, no charge, and I’ve always really appreciated that kindness.

Just smash it with a spade, quick and kind, perhaps ask a neighbour if they would do it, if not it will just be snatched by a cat or fox tonight.

Vet nurse here. Please take it to a vet OP. When people phone us for advice, we always tell them to catch the bird in a box and bring them in. Wear gloves.

They do unfortunately often needs euthanising. WE DO NOT WRING THEIR NECK. I have worked in many vet practices and that has never been done. They are humanely pts if necessary.

Thank you for caring.

❤️

Neck wringing is a humane way to kill a bird though, even if vets don't usually do it.

I've taken a couple of injured birds to vet. They'll always take them. Always ring ahead.

One, many years ago, that had been attacked and then left in my garden by what I assume was a cat or fox.

The other was a very big herring gull that I came across in the street that had a broken wing.

A young man from a nearby office was standing on the pavement near the gull unsure what to do. He got me a large cardboard box, put some holes in it, I grabbed the dog's blanket from the backseat of my car, threw it over the gull, stuck him/her in the box and sealed it with Sellotape.

I rang a nearby vet and they said to bring him in to be euthanised.

The poor bird that had been mauled was close to death but the gull looked and felt big and healthy, apart from its broken wing. I assumed he was euthanised. Rather sad really, such a big handsome creature.

Vets in the UK must be a lot more willing than vets in Ireland! Several times I've had to ring a local vet about an injured bird or similar - no interest at all. In Ireland we have Birdwatch Ireland instead of RSPB. They advised to make the bird comfortable & leave it.

Hi had a similar situation during covid, I rang the RSPCA. They told me to pick it up and put it in a box with a towel It and to close the lid. The pigeon was so placid because it was injured so it was easy to handle. The my husband dropped the box of outside a vets. There are vets that work with the RSPCA, they don’t charge you anything. Also the RSPCA said they could come and get it. I rang up several weeks later and the bird had survived and was in a sanctuary so it’s worth doing.

I took an injured wild bird to the nearest vet. They examined it and decided it had to be euthanised.

My niece is a vet, as are both her parents. No neck wringing in the two vet surgeries they run, just putting to sleep by injection if needed.

I hope you’ve found a way of getting it to a vet OP. Good for you for caring.

I rang up several weeks later and the bird had survived and was in a sanctuary so it’s worth doing.

Aw, that’s lovely. I love that you not only took the bird, but rang up to check on it. 😊

Probably varies as to region?..but most definitely two animal hospital vets have said it's best to leave wild birds /rabbit alone to die because they get far more distressed being manhandled, transported &c.

One said she wished the public would not bring them in, but leave well alone as they stand a better chance if left l alone- At certain times of year, people bring in newly fledged birds, which are always euthanised, never 'Rescued'.

At least if a fledgeling is left, the mother can carry on attending to it.

Wild animals don't like being handled- the Countryman who killed the wood pigeon by neck dislocation was far more quick and humane than carrying a distressed bird for an hour to the car, then hunting about for an OOH vet for the bird to than hang about while emergencies are being worked on before it can be euthanised.

Possibly we should not have even interfered when we saw the magpie stabbing the wood pigeon with it's sharp beak- Nature is harsh.

A fox or cat will find it if you leave it where it is. If really does need to go to a vet. I’ve taken injured birds to the vet a few times and they’ve always been happy to help.

The usual suspects found this thread I see. 🙄

It’s still under my car, its quite a long drive onto a main road so I don’t think cats or foxes will be an issue especially if it stays under the car.

my children are in bed now and there’s not much more I can do until the morning

thanks for all of the replies, if it’s still there in the morning I’ll enlist someone to try and help me get it out and take it to the vets

I take them to our local wildlife aid centres. Have a Google- they'll be v helpful.

If you aren't going to take it anywhere then why ask for help ? There has been a lot of helpful replies , even asking for help on Facebook will bring up local animal rescue
I couldn't go to bed leaving it out there to suffer

We had a gull with a broken wing in the forecourt of our office in Bristol. At least I thought it had. I rang up the Bristol PDSA. The woman said 'Can you try to approach it with a broom? If it can fly away, it should do so. I'll hold while you try that'. I got the office broom and headed for the door. One of the temps, a Polish girl, got in my way and said 'No! Don't kill it!'. I explained. We watched while it just hopped away from the broom. The PDSA sent a van and the guy put in a box and drove it away. He said it would probably be put to sleep. Of course this was on a weekday in business hours.

FFS - I knew I shouldn’t have opened this thread.

The OP was 2.5 hrs ago, and nothing has been done/it’s just going to be left until morning.

What on earth was the point in posting?

Oh this has bought back memories of when this happened to me years ago! First I knew about the injured pigeon was when I accidentally kicked it walking up the drive because I was busy texting on my
phone and didn't see it! It was awful and I felt so bad. Me and my husband tried to rescue it into a bucket. We failed, the pigeon panicked and it got into a spot where we then couldn't reach it. The neighbours cat was eyeing it up but eventually we had to leave as we were on our way out. We were young and had no idea what else to do so we left it. Given the amount of bird feathers on the street when we returned home I don't think it ended well for that pigeon sadly. So don't do what we did...