Pigeon drama. What to do?

[JustWing]

While I was in the bedroom, I heard a loud "Bang!" as something hit the window. I looked outside and initially saw nothing. However, my neighbour, who was outside at the time, informed me that a pigeon had flown straight into the window and fallen. I went downstairs and found the bird in my garden. This happened last night, and the bird is still alive but has most likely broken its spine. I provided some shade and water, but it hasn't drunk any. I'm unsure what to do. The bird will probably die, but dehydration might hasten its death. I cannot bring myself to kill it to ease its suffering. 😱🤧

Any advice?

Chop it's head off with a hoe/spade to the neck. Instant.

Oh poor little creature. I hope the wildlife people are able to save it.
I think they told you not to take it to the rspca because they may put it to sleep it without giving it a chance.

Glad the wildlife rescue people are on their way.

i would not personally hit an animal with a spade, or put it out of its misery with my car. I don’t mind if someone else does. Also squishing spiders etc is also not for me. Not for any like peta esque reasons, more because I don’t want the crunch or anything 😂

as for the secateur method comment, that is very up close and personal, and a bit oh Jesus Christ 😂

I can see you've got someone coming out so I'll just post this for information for others.

There are loads of pigeon rescues all over the country. You can find most of them on Facebook. Please don't kill pigeons unnecessarily. Contact local rescuers (often just individual people) and post on the pigeon Facebook groups and someone WILL help.

If you wouldn't automatically kill a dog, or a fox, or a beautiful bird of prey, please don't do it to a pigeon either. They deserve life just as much.

Yes they do, as do lots of vets. That's why they're are loads of pigeon rehabbers.

I'd try and take it to a rescue.I wouldn't pay £££ for an emergency vet.

I can’t believe how many people are advocating to just kill the pigeon, very unnecessarily cruel! Glad you contacted the wildlife sanctuary OP - we have one near us and I've taken birds including a pigeon and mice, you can even ring for an update. Pigeons are very sweet

You've done the right thing, OP. A wildlife volunteer came and collected a non-flying pigeon from my garden and took it off to some place on the edge of London where it was going to be nursed and released into a flock. I was surprised how quickly they came and how much they cared.

I have had a lot of birds fly into our patio doors, lie stunned for a surprisingly long period of time, and then fly off. I try to loosely cover them in the meantime, without hampering their freedom, no idea if this helps or not. I hope that the rescue turns out well!

I live near the downs and have found three pigeons on different occasions like this, put them in a box, took them to the emergency vets and they dealt with it. No idea if they lived or if they were put down but on no occasion did they charge me any money. One time I did request an update and they just said it had been passed onto a wildlife charity for care. Couldn't bear to see them get mauled by a fox or cat and at least if they were un saveable they went peacefully.

Best put in a cardboard box with holes in, and either put in a dark cool quite room away from pets. leave a water dish in with it. Check on it the next day or take to a vets asap. Some times they are dazed , and are ok the next day or not.

@dawngreen this is the advice I was given by our local bird rescue, put it in a box, provide seed/food and water but don't feed it and leave it for 24 hours. It'll either die or start to recover at which point you can then get in touch with the bird or pigeon rescue in your area.

I'm glad someone is coming to help you. Hopefully the pigeon will be okay. It may have just been badly stunned. I hate to see any living creature suffer.
Just for future reference, my now husband and I once found a hedgehog which was clearly suffering (poor mite had a maggot-infested eye), and we took it to a vet who humanely euthanized him / her. There was absolutely zero charge. Even an emergency vet will help out of hours. Please keep us updated. I hope the pigeon makes a full recovery,

It's not nice to see any creature suffer but....the pigeon population in the UK is out of control now since shooting them was banned.
They are a menace in towns, they devastate crops in minutes and they take over people's gardens, terrorising smaller birds.
We've had pigeons nesting in our small trees for years and they are a complete nuisance with their noise and poop all over the garden. Our small housing estate is overrun by them.
I'm sorry but this sentimentality over one pigeon is a bit OTT.

But you have to pay surely?

A bit like humans then

You don't pay for wildlife

No, you dont. Its wildlife. I've taken pigeons on three separate occasions, never once been asked to pay and this was out of hours emergency vets.

I once found an injured pigeon. Our local vet put it to sleep. I couldn’t stand to see it suffer.

I have sympathy for anything that has the capacity to feel pain. I honestly don't think that's being over sentimental. If you can help anyone - including an animal - which is suffering, why wouldn't you? Even if they can be a nuisance. We have a pigeon who is currently nesting in a disused security light and I love looking up and seeing her tail jutting out.
As others have reassured you, OP, there is absolutely zero cost for taking wildlife to the vet to be humanely euthanized to prevent zero suffering.
I certainly wouldn't advocate chopping the poor pigeons head off with a spade. It might be instant but I couldn't do it.
It sounds like this pigeon may recover anyway. If there's any chance of that the wildlife person will see the pigeon gets the care it needs.

Do you have humans nesting in your trees and pooping in your garden and all over your windows?

Better not put that on Right Move when you sell up.

😃

Just politely butting in on your reply to MissMoneyFairy to say that I get your point that pigeons can be a bit of a nuisance. But... when it comes to thinking about buying a house, honestly, humans would put me off more than pigeons. Anti-social behaviour, unruly children, mad drivers, trolleys etc left behind by humans. Give me pigeons any day!

I had a young woodpecker fly against a window last year. I put it in an open box and kept it there on my rooftop terrace during the night. It was still there the next morning. I was then able to bring it to a woman who looks after injured wild birds and - if possible - releases them. The woodpecker made a full recovery and was eventually released.
i hope the wildlife rescue is able to help the pigeon. ❤️

I have quail which are a similar size. I keep them for the eggs and meat. The proper humane method to dispatch is cervical dislocation. It has to be the right vertebra. With ours literally head off and you can't do it wrong. It severs the brain stem so they don't feel it. For future reference for any readers that needs to know. A quick death is often preferable to drawn out suffering. Obviously rescue are on the way for this particular bird. Good luck to it.