How can you tell whether a wild bird is ill?

Question

A wood pigeon keeps sitting in our tree - we feed it regularly, but usually after it has eaten it just flies off.

I can understand why it's sitting there if it's raining on a dull day, but today it's warm and sunny - any ideas? - It also keeps passing droppings...

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

There is nothing wrong with your visitor,it has found it's own "Restaurant"come rain or shine it will always be there for the free food.

Wood pigeons always on the look out for free meals,at this time of year the fields where they normally forage in ,have the crops which they cannot feed on till in most cases Harvest time.

In winter they feed on newly sown crops when they are sprouting ,in spring they feed on the buds of trees and anything they can find,

So finding your "Restaurant" saves it the time and energy flying off to look for a food source.

The droppings are normal,the more it eats the more it has to gew rid of.

Answer 2

Same thing happens in my garden. The most likely thing is that the wood pigeon has got used to you feeding it and is just waiting around in the tree to be fed. It probably gets almost all the food it needs from your daily feeds. Once it has eaten, the bird probably is flying off to its nest, some birds do have second broods this late in the summer so it may be flying off to feed it's young. I'm sure the droppings are nothing to worry about. Don't stop feeding it suddenly in case it is relying on your for food. If it's feathers look smooth and not patchy and if it is flying well then it is probably not ill.

Answer 3

At my house We get a Pair of collared doves visit our garden everyday at 6.00pm  They must like our choice of food that we put out for them.

I think that the wood pigeon just find s your tree a safe place to eat.  than Fly's home to roost.

Answer 4

i don't mean to be rude but what do you think its going to do go to asda to get the shopping in? droppings are normal for any living thing!!