Crested Pigeons as pet birds
Crested Pigeon
I recently had a rather interesting comment on an earlier post of mine about Crested Pigeons (see Great Birding Moments #5 Crested Pigeons).
Karen wrote:
I have a crested pigeon sitting on my shoulder at the moment. I went for a walk one morning and saw her on the footpath. She ran towards me, not usual pigeon behaviour. I picked her up, she cooed and closed her eyes. I took her home and fed her and she’s stayed. She follows me around the house and is the most inquisitive bird I have ever known. She is quite content to be scratched around the head and calls to me whenever I enter the room. She was obviously someone’s pet but I had no success in locating them. I originally had intended to feed her up and let her go again but she is so tame she would have been a danger to herself. She lives with my 3 cockatiels and probably thinks that she is one.
What an amazing experience! Karen is certainly right in deducing that it is someone’s pet, because the behaviour is certainly consistent with a bird that has been used to being handled.
Crested Pigeons are reasonably common in aviculture, especially in zoo collections. This species normally requires a large planted aviary and will breed readily in captivity.
I find it interesting that it is quite at ease in her home and with the Cockatiels. It must make her day very pleasant to have such a lovely team of bird friends to keep her company.
She is probably right that it is safer in her home rather than fending for itself in the wild. If released, it would probably be taken by a hawk very quickly as it would not be as alert to the dangers presented by living life in the wild.
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Hi sarah
For some reason i didnt get to read your message till now. I still have the bird but i havent treated it for lice, i did see something on it the other day. Im abit worried now. i cant believe i didnt see you message sooner thank you for your advise
Hello! I currently have a baby (aprox 2months) old that I have been handrearing since the cat brought it in as a fledgling. I have raised many Doves & pigeons before with most being released back into the wild (except one pigeon who adopted us many yrs ago & lived for like 8yrs! But that is another story!!) anyways I have never had a Crested Pigeon before. I’m having trouble adjusting it from egg & biscuit mix to seed… any suggestions? This little one’s personality has totally changed in the last few days & I’m wondering if it has something to do with needing seed now or something else food related? Up until yesterday it was such a crazy, hyper little thing & now very lethargic & doesn’t do much other then sleep
Thoughts…?
PS- I also currently have a normal ‘Turtle Dove’ living in our bathroom which I’ve had now for 6months since it was little. Found it in the middle of the road one day while driving, so took it home. It seemed a bit hurt and I would say was on the road for a long time as it was the middle of the day and it didn’t even move or care when I picked it up. Once I offered it water it was VERY thirsty! His/her wing was damaged and she had a head graze which unfortunatly as she/he’s healed has caused it to lose it’s eye so we can’t release it back into the wild as predator’s could sneak up too easily! But it’s happy living in our bathroom (can’t let it loose in the house as our house is too open & we have cats) currently as it always gets attention whenever someone goes in and now that it’s winter it has the bathroom heater so much warmer then being stuck out in a tree!
hello Ali
that doesn’t sound good about your pigeon.i have one that i got fairly young and had no trouble weaning it off the mix. yours might be to young to be eating seed yet though, but i found with my pigeon if i put the seed on a towel it found it easier to pick it up they can get the seed deeper into their mouths that way until they learn to peck properly. i would give that a go and i hope he/she comes good soon.
Thanks Jane. The little guy was starting to pick at seed but we kept the Egg & biscuit going as well. Still are but he doesn’t seem interested in either. Not even if I tap seed on the floor, in a dish, on a towel. He has no energy and just sleeps all day. I don’t think he’ll make it but fingers crossed and at least we tried rather then letting him find for his own!
Ali
I’m hoping your little fellow is still alive because i have an idea that might get him to eat. I use a syrup called incremin it’s used for children when they lose their appetites and is quite safe to use in animals and birds i have had quite a bit of success with it with both my animals and birds. if you mix about half a teaspoon of syrup with about 30 ml of water and hold it under its beak dipping its beak into the water to encourage it to drink and do that every hour or so , even if it only has a little bit it might help, it has iron in it which gives them energy as well. its worth a try anyway.
Thanks Jane that’s so kind of you but unfortunatly Notty has since died. But I still have ‘Little Fella’ going strong! Thought I would share a couple of photos I have of them for those that might be interested….
http://www.flickr.com/photos/50716985@N08/sets/72157624164346156/
At least we gave Notty a chance. Hope everyone else’s birds are going strong!
hi Ali
So sorry to hear that Notty died,thats a shame they are such lovely birds with great little personalities. hope your other birds stay healthy. Just keep in mind the incremin if ever one of your other birds ever get sick it really does work. i would be so upset if I lost my crested pigeon. his name is plum and he is such a character.
i wanted to buy a pair of crested pigeons.wht is price ?plz tell me.my email is wajhat_ali@hotmail.com
Hi there Wajhat,
This site is about Australian birds I see in the natural environment. You need to search for a site that sells pet birds. I do not sell birds.