Backyard Birds

[JanS]

So this little hummer followed me in the house today when I brought the feeder in to clean and refill it. Of course coming in is easy but getting back out isn't. It finally went out after an hour or more when I opened a couple windows and the deck door wide and took the screens off.
I guess it was attracted to a hummingbird carving my Mom made a long time ago for us.

 

[MyBuddy]

Yesterday I went out to the barn with the dogs and they flew right by this little guy on the ground without noticing! I finally grabbed Buddy and when he saw the bird he went into a deep bark and almost pulled me down! lol I finally got the bird to fly away but later, about 5pm I go out and see him on the driveway again! I noticed that he has bands on his legs. Does that mean he is a homing pigeon?? Is he lost? I don't know what to do with him. This morning I had forgotten about him and when we (the dogs and I) were done feeding horses and going up to the house, I look and saw him flopping on the ground with Kali nearby watching. I didn't know if she had gotten to him or what!? I chased the dogs into the house and went back out to check on him and he was on his feet again. As I approached, he slowly walked in the opposite direction. I didn't want to chase him but really wanted to see if he could fly. I was hoping that he wasn't injured! But I didn't want to stress him into flight right then. He slowly made his way away from me and under a pine tree on my neighbors back property so I left him there. 15 minutes later I checked with binoculars and he was still there, sitting under the tree in the sun.

My dogs will surely get him if he doesn't get out of here. Why is he staying? Is there something I can do? I am going to talk to my neighbor later and see what she has to say too. They have 2 cockatoos and about 6 other kinds. Hopefully she can add some insight here too. But if anyone has some advice, please feel free. I don't want him to get hurt and I have a feeling he's not that fast! lol

I just checked again and he's still there.

 

[JanS]

I'm guessing it is someones young pigeon that wandered off and got lost. I ran into 2 of them at the feed store the other day walking around in the driveway and they had to be pretty young too since they didn't want to get out of my way when I was coming through.
I'd check with a few neighbors to see if anyone close has them.

 

[MyBuddy]

I just went out there and he is still under the tree in the same spot. I threw some bread and a cup of sunflower seeds near him and he was pecking at it when I walked away. I texted my neighbor and am waiting to see what she has to say.

 

[MyBuddy]

Hmmmmm...I just googled, What to do with a lost pigeon, and it wasn't pretty. Given back to an owner, they are culled.
Pigeon Found | Pigeon Web - pigeon advice, breeds, care and racing

Seems no one is interested in getting them back. This guy might be out of luck. I suppose they don't make our winters? or live on their own in the wild?

 

[MyBuddy]

And then there's this:

Pigeon Found | Pigeon Web - pigeon advice, breeds, care and racing

Found pigeons have leg bands that mark their identity. Each tag is registered with a national pigeon association to help it find its owner in just such cases. Sometimes you can simply enter the tag ID into Google and you can bring back a direct hit. In other cases, you will have to search out the tag ID with each individual website. While it may seem like a lot of effort to reunite a pigeon with his owner, you are saving a life and your kindness means the world to the little found pigeon in the box.

 

[JanS]

I suppose they don't make our winters? or live on their own in the wild?

I'm sure they could if they can get shelter. There are tons of wild ones around here in town that stay all year. If you could catch it you could make it a little spot in your barn if you can't find the owner.

 

[MyBuddy]

I'm sure they could if they can get shelter.

My neighbor said the same thing. I just so rarely see pigeons here that I wasn't sure. But think about the ones in the cities, including Chicago. So I guess it would be true!

The last time I saw him, he was walking down the driveway towards the front and I haven't seen him since. My neighbor and I searched a bit and we'll both keep an eye out for him because of the dogs, but I hope he left! lol

 

[Ingrid H]

Yesterday I went out to the barn with the dogs and they flew right by this little guy on the ground without noticing! I finally grabbed Buddy and when he saw the bird he went into a deep bark and almost pulled me down! lol I finally got the bird to fly away but later, about 5pm I go out and see him on the driveway again! I noticed that he has bands on his legs. Does that mean he is a homing pigeon?? Is he lost? I don't know what to do with him. This morning I had forgotten about him and when we (the dogs and I) were done feeding horses and going up to the house, I look and saw him flopping on the ground with Kali nearby watching. I didn't know if she had gotten to him or what!? I chased the dogs into the house and went back out to check on him and he was on his feet again. As I approached, he slowly walked in the opposite direction. I didn't want to chase him but really wanted to see if he could fly. I was hoping that he wasn't injured! But I didn't want to stress him into flight right then. He slowly made his way away from me and under a pine tree on my neighbors back property so I left him there. 15 minutes later I checked with binoculars and he was still there, sitting under the tree in the sun.

My dogs will surely get him if he doesn't get out of here. Why is he staying? Is there something I can do? I am going to talk to my neighbor later and see what she has to say too. They have 2 cockatoos and about 6 other kinds. Hopefully she can add some insight here too. But if anyone has some advice, please feel free. I don't want him to get hurt and I have a feeling he's not that fast! lol

I just checked again and he's still there.

View attachment 75680 View attachment 75681

Is that a leg band on it?

 

[MyBuddy]

Is that a leg band on it?

Yes! That's what I was saying before....that I saw that and thought it must be a homing pigeon, right?

I haven't seen him since he was walking down the driveway to the front in early afternoon yesterday.

 

[JanS]

I caught a few of a Pileated out here yesterday.



This one could almost use a caption. LOL

 

[Ingrid H]

Kind of amazing in a way that two species would forage on the same source so close together without one chasing the other off... Very cool pic!

 

[JanS]

Kind of amazing in a way that two species would forage on the same source so close together without one chasing the other off...

I kind of think the smaller one was trying to chase the Pileated away because it kept following it. That's actually one of the bigger common woodpeckers but the Pileated still dwarfs it.

 

[MyBuddy]

That's actually one of the bigger common woodpeckers but the Pileated still dwarfs it.

That's the Downy woodpecker and they are here all the time on our suet.


I'd love to see a pileated!

When our daughter was here she was about ready to shoot the Blue Jays! LOL! And it was only one or two at a time, but they would fly into our honeylocust trees off the kitchen (and near the upstairs bedroom!) and Caw, Caw, Caw for a length of time, before flying down to the bird bath. I told her it rarely bothers me because I can tune them out. It's just background noise. Plus, I'm not still in bed.

 

[Ingrid H]

I'd love to see a pileated!

They are awesome! I haven't seen one in awhile. Well, I haven't seen one since we moved to our new house, but I've heard them.

 

[JanS]

Well, I haven't seen one since we moved to our new house, but I've heard them.

Yes we hear them all the time but they're usually pretty elusive. My Mom had a dead tree out back and they'd raise their young in that tree every year, which was really cool.

When our daughter was here she was about ready to shoot the Blue Jays! LOL! And it was only one or two at a time, but they would fly into our honeylocust trees off the kitchen (and near the upstairs bedroom!) and Caw, Caw, Caw for a length of time, before flying down to the bird bath.

Your daughter is my kind of girl. I think some of the ones here are starting to fly south but there are still 4 or 5 of them that screech all day long.

 

[Ingrid H]

I love my blue jays, and I don't think they leave all year here. That or there is a possibility that the summer population leaves in the winter and a northern population takes their place in the winter. Not a whole lot is known about the blue jay despite how common they are. There are times I would like to wring their shrieking necks, but I still set out food specifically for them.

 

[JanS]

We might get one that over winters but the rest leave, thankfully. It's probably just a little too cold for them here so even though they leave, they might not go too far south.

Speaking of them, they recently went through their "bald" period.

 

[Gelcoater]

Tis the season for mama dove to roost in our tree and make the next generation.

 

[Gelcoater]

Lol, and apparently the next generation is our house guest tonight.





Found him out back before noon.
It's parental units have fed him today, and sort of watched over him.
He doesn't appear to be injured, his wings seem to have a full range of motion.
Some of his feather is really thin around his neck, next to no down under it.
I'll put him back out in the morning, I expect his parents will be looking.

I had put him in a shallow box and set it on a table in the back yard earlier.
A half hour later he was out and hiding behind the box.
He seems to walk fine too, a little wobble now and then but I suspect walking is fairly new to him. Her?

I gloved up earlier and handled it to get in the little box, and later I just let him hang out in the shade on the kids little play house. His parents tended to him all day up there and he was safe from Rocky.

He did manage to follow his mamas lead and jump/flap to a tree branch but didn't move from there and after dark he was alone so we boxed him for the night.