Re: Questions about pigeons in hurricanes.

Waddle <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
> OK, thanks for the info/suggestions :)
> 
> My wife followed your instructions Susan, though we don't have any bird 
> seed we put out some bread along with a container of water. It's now going 
> into the third day and it hasn't made a sound (and I mean that literally), 
> doesn't move when my wife went outside (and when our dog was out there, tho 
> the dog didn't pay it no mind). It just sits there.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> W

Just wanted to add that I agree with most of what Tony said, however, I do not
believe that their mortality rate is so high from disease. Just from my own
observations, I would say it is from starvation. Not enough food to go around
to match their prolific breeding. (Year round.) However, a starving bird has
a lowered resistance to disease, hence, probably, why the high mortality
attributed to disease.

Waddle, pigeons hardly make any sounds anyway, unless with other pigeons.
For the bird to be sitting in one place that long, something is definitely
wrong with it. Did the bird eat any of the bread and water?
Has it pooped anywhere that you can see the condition of the poop?
(Firm, brown with a white cap, or soft, or liquid or runny, bright green, etc.)
Although most bread is made from wheat, it is not the best food for them.
Their systems were designed for processing seeds. You could pick up a bag of
wild bird seed from your local market.
Most feral pigeons are what we call blue bars and blue checks. But other
colors and patterns happen frequently. But I would possibly suspect that the
bird is an escaped pet. Does the bird look like it has been living in the
streets, or is it pretty clean?
Pigeons generally, do not bite or peck people. But even if they do, believe me,
it does not hurt, nor is it strong enough to draw blood or break the skin.
If the bird does not move when you stand in front of it, try putting your
hand up against it's chest and see if it will step up on your hand. (If it
does, it's almost a sure sign that it once belonged to someone.)
Sometimes, most feral pigeons sickness can be cured with a little apple-cider
vinegar in the water for several days, (2 tablespoons per 1/2 gal.) and fresh
birdseed. Just drinking and eating fresh water and food from clean containers
can make a lot of difference. Please let us know what happens,
E-Man
(ps: the vinegar just makes the gut more acidic, so lessens the bacteria.)