WHEN TO RELEASE BABY WILBERT

[Serin]

Too late to make a difference in this case but to future readers that will see this.. Pigeons are a domesticated animal and if they are hand raised their odds of survival are very low if set free. They're even worse for birds with unnatural coloring. Pigeons outside the sea coasts of western Europe are feral donesticated animals. Letting captive raised birds loose is similar to releasing a kitten when it is ten weeks old. It might survive and cats do live feral but they don't live very long or good lives and without learning skills from their parents the pigeons stand very little chance. In this case the bird has been socialized with a predator species which is a huge no no in wildlife rehab (which pigeons are not anyway.) He might do ok in the setting you be released him in if food is provided and the house is predator proof.

Hand raised pigeons should ideally be placed in pet homes or with a loft of captive birds that will be provided food, shelter and a flock for protection from predators.

 

[Kkjrenee]

Too late to make a difference in this case but to future readers that will see this.. Pigeons are a domesticated animal and if they are hand raised their odds of survival are very low if set free. They're even worse for birds with unnatural coloring. Pigeons outside the sea coasts of western Europe are feral donesticated animals. Letting captive raised birds loose is similar to releasing a kitten when it is ten weeks old. It might survive and cats do live feral but they don't live very long or good lives and without learning skills from their parents the pigeons stand very little chance. In this case the bird has been socialized with a predator species which is a huge no no in wildlife rehab (which pigeons are not anyway.) He might do ok in the setting you be released him in if food is provided and the house is predator proof.

I have hand raised pigeons before and I always release them back at my grandparents with their pigeons. They have lived just as long as the others. I noticed that even if they are hand raised and released back with the other pigeons they learn ways from those pigeons and end up losing their tameness no matter how many times I went out there. Which is better for them anyways learning the ropes for survival. He does not stay around my parents house much he flys uptown with one of the other foster pigeons to the old buildings with the wild pigeons. I know he is doing fine as he has gotten pretty good sized and he comes back at least once a day to eat and drink.

 

[Kkjrenee]

Did ya release him? He's such a sweetie pie! Hope he got strong & is flying all over the place now!

I have released him and he is doing great! He does not sleep at my parents in the coop though sadly. He and another one of the foster pigeons fly uptown where they happen to find the wild pigeons living in the old buildings up there. He comes back at least once or twice a day to eat and drink then he is off again. He is not tame anymore, but in reality if he is not staying around home that is the best for him!

 

[biophiliac]

I have released him and he is doing great! He does not sleep at my parents in the coop though sadly. He and another one of the foster pigeons fly uptown where they happen to find the wild pigeons living in the old buildings up there. He comes back at least once or twice a day to eat and drink then he is off again. He is not tame anymore, but in reality if he is not staying around home that is the best for him!

Happy to hear he is doing well!

 

[LamarshFish]

Of the pigeons of mine that have gone missing, I did find one dead (after somebody found him and called my cell number on his leg band) and checked my records and he had been missing for 9 months. So, at least some of them learn to survive. It may be that relatively less caution they have around things like humans or cars that can eventually lead to death though. I also think our domestic pigeons that fly free are way less alert when it comes to lounging on roof tops and such, where birds of prey can snatch them up.

But my point in chief is that they can survive in the wild. I think it is difficult for them. But they are smart, and adapt quickly. Foraging is in their DNA.

The fella in my profile picture had a different "getting lost" experience. He had been missing for 5 days (my record for one being missing and actually coming back), when I got a call from a farmer 50 miles away who saw my number on his leg band. Farmer said my bird wouldn't leave him alone as he was working in his field. He kept flying on his head, something he never does to us. Turned out that farmer was COINCIDENTALLY coming to the farmers market a few blocks from my house THE NEXT MORNING, so that bird got quite lucky and hitched a ride. When I picked him up you could see his eyes light up when he saw me. He had lost quite a bit of weight, his chest bone was easy to feel. He gobbled food up that night. But my point here is that it seemed this particular bird did not quite figure out how to forage, as it seemed he didn't have enough to eat and resorted to pestering humans for food and/or care.

 

[cavemanrich]

I can do a one hour lecture on pigeons, and there would be very little disagreement.
Key points would be.
Food.
Feral pigeons mostly hang around a food source. Feed mils where some gets spilled. Rail yards where some gets spilled. Parks where people bring food, and throw out their unfinished meals, into trash or other. Urban areas where trash does get disturbed by other animals, and is spilled.
Feral pigeon do not live long lives,,,, compared to those kept in lofts with plenty of feed.
Pigeon diets include seeds, which are not available year round. That is why a green pasture may be suitable for some birds, but not necessarily for pigeons. When we get to winter season,,,, the food supply gets even worse. (for most animals)
Short lives for coyotes in urban areas is also a factor, of food availability, as well as vehicular encounters. 3 years or less
Just some of my thoughts.
BTW,,, I feed my wild birds, year round. I also feed my squirrels BOSS year round. My choice to do so.