Awww. I hope Barry is okay. Lovely of your husband to bring him home.
Will she be able to release him
starlingqueen ? or will he be too tame?
Not sure on that one Marianne. Ours was a very young chick and imprinted on us, being older he may be ok but there is a lot of work involved in releasing a baby bird. They have to know how to feed themselves which the parents would teach them so he would have to be taught somehow. Also, technically in some areas it's illegal to release pigeons into the wild as they are classed as vermin.
Maybe it would be easier if the bird was taken to a sanctuary. Basically it's a minefield. We contacted Defra when we decided Cookie was too imprinted to be released they came to visit and said the conditions he is kept in fit the criteria so it was OK.
Here are some guidelines for releasing a pigeon.
When you are in doubt of whether to release a healthy feral pigeon youngster or rehabbed feral pigeon back to the wild, you should ask yourself these questions:
1. IMPRINTED
Has the bird become dependent on you?
Is it so tame that it flies to you, eats out of your hand, needs to be around you?
Is the bird so friendly that it would fly to anyone when it is released? Not all people are as kind to pigeons as you and I are.
2. 100% REHABBED AND SELF-SUFFICIENT
Have any/or all injuries completely healed so the bird is capable of flying great distances? He needs to have all his flying skills to out-fly predators, weather conditions, forage for food.
A bird that has suffered an injury to an eye, is usually blind in that eye,and not able to go back out in nature. He may be flying well and very healthy indeed, but his limited vision will cause him to hurt himself, by running into things on the blind side, and is easy prey to predators.
If this was a youngster, is he completely weaned and flying well on his own? Is he capable of picking up seeds well, and able to forage by himself? Has he had ample time to practice in a large enclosed area so you know he is ready? Can he negotiate turns quickly, gain speed quickly?
Does the bird exhibit vibrant health, sparkling eyes, full and soft feathering, active and noisy, and happy, and gained back all weight for his size and type of pigeon?
3. IS THE BIRD PREDATOR PROOFED?
Does the bird have the instinct to recognize its enemy, whether four-legged, or winged, or even two-legged? (Cat, racoon, dogs, hawks, and sadly ... another human being)
Does the bird stand out, easily noticed from any point that a hawk would focus on it? Is the bird a light, white or bright color that it would stand out of a flock of dark birds, or is the pigeon dark, and noticeable in a flock of white or light colored birds? Any noticeable characteristics that would make the hawk think it is lame or has injuries? It doesn't matter what color the bird is, if it is in a flock of the same color, but what will RED FLAG the bird, is if it stand out by color, injury or behavior.
4. IS THE BIRD WEATHER PROOFED?
Has the bird had enough baths to build up the powder in its feathers, so that it can fly in the rain if necessary? You can see it when he shakes himself out. Once he's got the powder he won't look like a drowned rat after he takes a bath.
HAS THE BIRD RE-ACLIMATED TO OUTDOOR TEMPERATURES.
If it is winter and there is a drastic difference between the indoor temp, where he is being rehabilitated, and outdoor temp where he is to be released, perhaps it would be best to release in spring. Or if the temp is reasonable the bird would have to be reintroduced several weeks to the outdoor temp to acclamate.
5. IS THERE AN ESTABLISHED FLOCK NEARBY THAT THE BIRD CAN JOIN?
It is preferable for the bird to be released in the area where he was found, if there is an established flock there, and where they are known to be fed. This is a big one...pigeons belong in groups, it is their safety. "safety in numbers" They warn each other of impending danger and fly in moments notice. They find food together and are also social creatures and are happy among each other.
Does the established flock have access to safety, plenty of food and water, or is this in an environment, already overcrowded /city conditions, where pigeons are frowned upon? How do the birds in the feral flock look, are they healthy robust, thriving?
Also, please make sure the day the bird is released that the forecast shows 3 days of good weather after release date. He/she will need the time to readjust to life in the outside without having bad weather to stunt his readjustment.
Please check this link on doing a SOFT RELEASE
www.pigeons.biz/forums/showpo...9&postcount=486. CAN YOU LOCATE A REHABBER WHO RELEASES REHAB PIGEONS INTO AN ALREADY ESTABLISHED FLOCK, AND ALLOW YOUR BIRD TO JOIN THE REHAB GROUP, AND BE RELEASED TOGETHER WITH THEM INTO THE WILD?
This will allow your pigeon to interact and socialize with other pigeons for a time, and then adjustment in the wild is easier, as they are released in a group. This is especially beneficial for youngsters, who have no history of being in the wild. It allows the bird the safety of a group, and be an already accepted member when they all are released into the wild.
7. DOES THE BIRD ACT LIKE IT WANTS TO STAY, DOES HE SEEM HAPPY WITH YOU AND DO YOU WANT TO KEEP HIM?...AND DO YOU HAVE THE FACILITIES TO KEEP HIM?
Do you want to keep him, has he been happy and content so far? Does he ever go to the window and try to claw his way out? Are there pigeons outside waiting for him, keep coming back?
If there is any shadow of a doubt that this bird can exist safely outdoors and you cannot keep the bird please find the bird a good home or ask us and we will help to locate it a good home.
***WARNING: THERE ARE SEVERAL DISEASES SUCH AS PMV THAT A BIRD NEEDS A LENGTHY TIME TO RECOOPERATE FROM, AND EVEN THEN IT IS NOT A GUARANTEE THAT THE BIRD SHOULD OR COULD BE RELEASED. PMV PIGEONS MAY SEEM PERFECTLY NORMAL, BUT UPON STRESS WILL DISPLAY CONTORTIONS AND OTHER ISSUES OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS.
8. IS THERE ANY LAW IN YOUR TOWN/CITY/COUNTY/STATE THAT PROHIBITS YOU FROM KEEPING/REHABBING/ RELEASING WILD PIGEONS WITHOUT HAVING A LICENSE?
This information was brought to me by a member. For instance, in an area of Oregon, USA it is illegal for people who are not licensed rehabbers to keep, rehab, or release a wild pigeon or dove. (It's also illegal for anyone to release a domesticated dove or pigeon here-that should be law everywhere). In this case, you should locate a licensed rehabber to take over care, rehabilitation and release of the bird.