If you touch a baby bird, a pigeon, is it certain that the mom wont come looking for him and take him back???

Question

i must know, i found this baby pigeon today and touched it and now i dont know what to do with it

http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l345/joanma15/DSC01973.jpg

Answer 1

It's a myth - you can put him back if you can and mom will feed him.  This myth has always made me laugh.  Think about it a moment.  If mom was really worried about the scent of humans, would they build their nest on our house?

If you can't get the bird back to its nest safely, then you can go here to find out how to care for it with almost no problem

http://pigeoncote.com/vet/feedbaby/feedb...

or here

http://www.duckpolice.org/BirdWeb/Pigeon...

You can also check with the folks at Forum at http://www.pigeons.biz  they can help you rear it, they're good folks and a lot of them are rearing feral babies even now.  They'ld love to be able to share their knowledge with you.

Answer 2

I have found that the mother will push them out of the nest if they smell any other scent other than their own. You can test it out for a day and see for yourself. If the mama does take it back and take care of them do a happy dance. If not get the bird to a vet and they will guide you as to what to feed and how to feed it for proper nutrition.  Sorry touching any baby (humans too) is not always the right thing to do.

Answer 3

nope

Answer 4

Birds have no sense of smell, so stop worring you did anything wrong.

Leave the bird where you found it, then you go inside and chances are good the baby will call and the parents will come and take care of the baby.

Answer 5

The mother should take him/her back. The mother may not take it back, but they usually do. The mother instinct is strong enough that he would be taken care of anyhow. Good luck!

Answer 6

it should  take it back u see birds do not have a keen sense of smell so put it back were you found it and if the mother can hear it she will come back.http://www.biologycorner.com/bio2/notes3...  

this is what this site says :

Birds do not normally have a good sense of smell, except in carrion eaters (vultures) - a baby bird that falls out of a nest can be put back in, the mother probably won't know the difference

Answer 7

if you have taken it away from the nest for close to a month then yes, if not, try getting a small margerine tup and hanging it from a branch in the tree where its origional nest is (make sure you have some small drainage holes) - the mother will answer to its calls and take it back.

the artificial nest should have four pieces of string, one coming from each corner, but sturdy enough so that neither the prent nor the baby will accidentaly chew through it.

or wedge it between two branches near the nest (preferable)

Answer 8

It's a myth about touching a bird and it makes a mother bird reject the little baby bird.

The mom will take it back if you put it back in the nest.

Look in the phone book for help.  Call the animal rescue and they may help.  We have  volunteers around here that you can call even on weekends.  Once you get the number keep it for a time when you might need it again.

thanks

Answer 9

The mother will take it back..that is just an old wives tale that a lot of people still believe..it is NOT true.  I take baby birds out of the nest to band them, and replace them again...and have NEVER had parents abandon due to this.

Answer 10

At my Grandmother's house a few weeks ago a baby bird fell out of his nest. I panicked and called animal control. They put on latex gloves and put him right back up there and everything was fine. They told me that the contact made with the bird should be as minimal as possible but if it happens it isn't exactly the end of the world.

Answer 11

Sometimes it will reject the baby if it has been touched by a human as it no longer smells like its own. Leave the baby in a warm place where the mother can see it(if you know she is still there) and she might come down. If they had been raised in the same place such as an aviary of your own or something they would probably take the baby back but I am not sure about in the wild if that makes sense.

Answer 12

Leave it alone the mom knows where it is and she will return to feed it if move the mom wont know and then it will die from starvation If its in harms way then move but if safe leave alone  this one may have been learning to fly and this is natural for them to fall short of the nest or landing they intended so it will be ok as long as a cat or other critter don't find.

Answer 13

I hand raise parrotlets and I hold them from a very young age before I take them.  I have never had a problem with mom taking them back, but have heard of it.

Answer 14

The majority of bird species have a far less developed sense of smell compared to mammals so your scent on the baby would not make much difference to the mother bird. However, if the baby was found outside of an undisturbed(high winds, gardeners trimming, etc.) nest, there may be good reason for the mom to have put it there. Don't be surprised if he gets kicked out again. Mother birds save their energy and resources for babies that are thriving and may have to cull those who are not. We humans may not like that but it's just nature. :)