Just found a dove of some kind on my porch!!

[budgie_man]

I just found this dove that landed on my porch. It is banded on it's leg. It won't let me get any closer than 5 feet from it.
What should I do?

 

[BirdSquawk]

If its still there, you can try to lure it into a cage with grain or rice. what color is it? most likely it is wild, unless it is a diamond dove or ringneck. You could also check craigslist for lost birds.

 

[budgie_man]

It has a band with numbers and a little capsule with a piece of paper in it. I think it is a homing pigeon. I gave it some water and a little piece of wheat bread, but it is still there.

Also it wont let me near the capsule.

 

[budgie_man]

I have him in an old cage that's too small but that's where he is gonna live until he gets back to his own peoples. He still wont let me near that capsule, I assume they are trained in a way so that they only allow access to the proper individual.

 

[Conuregirl]

i hope you can help the bird! poor guy! i think it's great you are helping it! thanks for doing that!

 

[budgie_man]

If he is calm tomorrow I will snap a few pics.

 

[keepsmiling]

If you have other birds, please practice strict quarantine and keep him away from them.

 

[BirdSquawk]

Untill you can get to his band or capsule, you can try giving him whole wheat rice, cooked or uncooked, usually doves and pigeons like that. You could also try greenfood like lettuce or parsley.

 

[Lovelyloribeth]

OOOOHHH!! What if it's not a dove....but a carrier pigeon?! That would be so neat! I wish one would land on my porch! Lol. Good luck with him!

 

[budgie_man]

The pigeon is three rooms away from my parakeet and I always wash my hands and what not.
I gave him or her some romaine lettuce and a bunch of seeds and rice.

 

[BirdSquawk]

If he still wont let you near him, perhaps its best to towel him to get the numbers from his band. Then you could google them and see if his owner shows up. It also might be beneficial to post a found craigslist ad.

 

[Molcan2]

People who fly their carrier pigeons usually have the bands registered. If you can get the numbers off the band you can find his owners. This happened recently to my Grandfather who lives in south florida, one just landed on his porch he gave it some seed and water, contacted the number on the band (he found a club in the area) and reunited it with the owners. Apparently, not 100%, in order to get them to fly back to where they are supposed to go, they keep the mate (they bond for life) and only release one of the pair that way the carrier bird returns home. Or at least thats what this particular person did that explained it to my G-pa. If you cant get your hands on the bird but have it in a cage then take the cage to a vet and they can towel the bird and get the band. I'm sure the owner would really like to have the bird back.

 

[budgie_man]

Ok so I put on a glove and I gently restrained the bird and I got a phone number that was in the capsule.

I called and it belongs to a local guy who breeds them and does racing, we are gonne meet later today.

 

[Molcan2]

Oh thats good news!

 

[budgie_man]

I am just glad I found him his proper home.

 

[BirdSquawk]

Yay! glad this story has a happy ending!

 

[SpringCottageParrot]

Could it be a lost racing pigeon?

 

[grantgrace]

Maybe he didnt want to go back? sorry..its probably ok..I just dont like animal racing..ex: greyhound dogs, horses, .....birds.

 

[ann]

glad to hear it had a happy ending . grantgrace: i heard racing pigeons are very well cared for . but i completely agree with you about greyhounds and horses.

 

[budgie_man]

Yes, it looked to be either a homing pigeon or a a racer.