Pigeon and Dove - Renesting and Reuniting
Baby birds are most successful when raised by their parents in the wild. These babies receive the most natural and appropriate nutrition from the parents, learn where and how to forage or hunt, are taught how to recognize and avoid predators and other dangers, and are overall more adaptable and resilient when raised by parents in the wild. For these reasons, we try to reunite baby birds with their families whenever possible.
Young birds are often left alone while their parents look for food. Parents may also leave their babies temporarily in order to avoid attracting other animals to the nest. If you find a fallen nest, or baby bird without parents, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the bird has been abandoned or orphaned. We always assume the parents are alive and caring for their babies unless proven otherwise.
If you moved a bird, found a single baby bird or disturbed a nest, please use this resource to attempt to reunite them with their parents and monitor the health of the baby bird(s) unless both mom AND dad are found deceased. Please note that, contrary to popular belief, parents will not abandon their babies because you touched them. However, parents will not return if you are too close because humans are seen as threats. Successfully reuniting baby birds with their parents requires you to provide both time and space away from the nesting area.
Background Information
Pigeons and doves are some of the most widespread birds in San Diego County. They will create a nest site in a wide range of locations, including human-made structures, shrubs, vines or on the ground. While nests can sometimes appear as a flimsy collection of loose pine needles, small twigs and grass stems, these nests are arranged to form a bowl around the future eggs.
Pigeon and dove parents will sit on the nestlings nearly constantly until one to two weeks old. After that, parents may leave young birds alone for up to eight hours while out looking for food. In ideal circumstances, young birds do not leave the nest until they can fly. Due to poor nest construction, babies often end up outside of the nest prematurely. However, parents will continue to attend to their young when this happens.
Bird Age and Type
Before you begin the renesting or reuniting effort, please use the information below to confirm the age and the type of bird you found. Once confirmed, follow the renesting instructions based on the bird’s age.
|
Nestling
|
Fledgling
|
If you believe that the bird is not a nestling or fledgling, and in fact is an injured or ill adult bird, we recommend bringing them to Project Wildlife for further evaluation and potential rehabilitation. If we find that no treatment is required, we may ask you to return the bird to where you found them.
Health Check
Renest or reunite healthy babies only. The parents won’t return for a sick baby or be able to help them recover.
Check for the following:
- Significant injury (the bird has broken bones, deep cuts or a drooping wing, or is non-responsive, gasping, limping or bleeding)
- Signs of illness: falling over, discharge from eyes or nose, crusty eyes
- Seen attacked by a cat (or other animal)
- Mites or lice all over their body
- Ant, fly or maggot infestation on the bird or in the nest
We recommend bringing any baby with these symptoms to Project Wildlife for evaluation and potential rehabilitation (See Box 2). Minor scratches or bruises are not cause for concern unless known to be caused by a cat attack.
If the baby does not have any of these symptoms and seems healthy, begin the renesting process. If the baby feels cold, warm them before the renesting process (Box 1).
Box 1: Heat Sources
Instant Hand Warmers
HotHands® or similar. Lasts about 5 hours.
Rice Sock
Fill a sock with uncooked rice and microwave until warm. Lasts 1-2 hours.
- Check that heat source won't burn baby.
- Make sure baby has space to move away form heat source.
Timeline
Renest or reunite pigeons and doves during the day when the parents are active. If you picked up and kept the bird for 12 hours or more already AND no other babies remain outside, we recommend bringing the bird to Project Wildlife for evaluation and potential rehabilitation (See Box 2).
Renesting and Monitoring Netslings
- Try to identify where the nestling came from. Look around the location where you found the baby to see if there are any adult pigeons or doves, trees, ledges and/or nests. Rock pigeons almost always nest on ledges with some sort of cover, but other species may nest in trees. If possible, simply return the baby to the original nest. Ask for help from tree trimming services, building maintenance or neighbors if access is a problem.
- If you cannot find the original nest, make a new nest. Choose a shallow plastic container big enough to hold the baby. Poke holes in bottom for drainage. Line container with grasses or twigs to make a nest.
- Return to where you found the baby and attach the nest as close to the suspected original nest as you can. Use zip ties, nails or other sturdy material to secure the nest. Once secure, add the young.
- Monitor the nest. Observe the nest area continuously for one hour from a distance. Remember, the parents will not return if you or other animals are too close. We recommend using a camera, computer or similar device to monitor the nest, if possible.
- Review the footage or observe from a distance to see if you can spot the parents coming to the nest. If you observe this, the reunion is successful! If you do not see the parents, check on the baby. If all is well, give the parents another two hours.
If the parents don’t return to the baby within three hours or the baby’s condition is worsening, we recommend bringing the bird to Project Wildlife for evaluation and potential rehabilitation (See Box 2).
Reuniting and Monitoring Fledglings
- If the area is safe, return or leave fledgling at the location where they were found. Fledglings will leave the nest and explore the surrounding branches or ground near their nest. If you see a fledgling on the ground, the parents will still care for them, however babies will be safer if you can move them to a branch or flat, elevated surface nearby.
- Monitor the fledgling. Observe the fledgling continuously for two hours from a distance. Remember, the parents will not return if you or other animals are too close. We recommend using a camera, computer or similar device to monitor the fledgling, if possible.
- Review the footage or observe from a distance to see if the parents come to the fledgling. If you observe this, the reunion is successful! If you do not see the parents, check on the baby. If they are still doing OK, you can give the parents another two hours.
If the parents don’t return to the baby within four hours or if the baby’s condition is worsening, we recommend bringing the bird to Project Wildlife for evaluation and potential rehabilitation (See Box 2).
Box 2: Project Wildlife Drop-Off and Contact Information
You can drop off confirmed orphans during our admission hours: seven days a week, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (excluding major holidays).
Project Wildlife
Pilar & Chuck Bahde Wildlife Center
5433 Gaines St.
San Diego, CA 92110
619-299-7012
sdhumane.org