What Happened to the Christmas Dove? A Tale of Survival and Compassion

[OmCheeto]

Well, the weather warmed up so I was out in the back yard this morning scrubbing my Saab Chia. It made the whole yard look bad when everything else was all pretty and white. While I was washing the hood, a small brown and white pigeon looking bird landed about 10 feet away from me. Then it walked off into the bushes. Odd I thought. Then I turned around and saw a big brown eagle land on the neighbors garage about 30 feet away. That's something I've never seen in the 20 years I've lived here. I looked back down to where the bird had landed and noticed that there was a bit of blood on the snow. Oh my god. I'd just witnessed nature in action.

I decided to see if the little pigeon was dead or dying, so I followed the little drops of blood until I found him sitting under a bush.

All I could see was white feathers and his beady little black eyes. It must be a Christmas Dove!

Well, not knowing what to do with the little guy, I decided to run off to the store and buy some dove food for him. I thought he must be hungry after such an ordeal. When I got back from the store with the food he was still sitting in the same spot. I filled up an old green melamine coffee cup with the seed and proceeded to fight my way through the shrubbery to put it in front of him. Of course, he would have nothing to do with me and hobbled away. I set the food down where he'd been roosted and sneaked noisily to the opposite side and showed him back to the tasty treats. He took his position next to the food and completely ignored it. Well, I thought, maybe he's in shock. I'll just let him rest awhile.

I went back to washing the Saab. La di da, la di da, scrub scrub scrub, then splat. A Robin pooped on me from the branch of a Holly tree above. Well, here I am, the bird messiah, having chased away the eagle-doers, turned plastic into bird seed, and you have the audacity to poop on me. I wiped off the crap, turned the hose in his direction, and shot a nice solid blast of cold water up his butt. He flew away.

I finished cleaning up the Saab and went back to check on the dove. He seemed to be a bit of a bird brain, as he'd not touched his food. Well starve to death then, I yelled at him.

I went away and washed up a few other algae coated artifacts around the yard. But of course I couldn't stop thinking about the poor little fella. What if one of the feral neighbor cats eats him. What if the squirrels sense his weakness and gnaw him to death. So I decided to pull down my snow pea wire trellis and form it into a little aviary for him. I finished it, but it had no top. I decided he would be cat food within hours if I penned him in there. My only solution was to capture him somehow. Fortunately, I have an old fishing net which was just the right size. It worked perfectly.

Unfortunately, his little heart must have been going crazy, because he started bleeding profusely. So I hurried him into the house and as gently as possible, dumped him into my bathtub. I looked to make sure he was still alive, turned off the lights, backed out of the bathroom very slowly, and shut the door. I then got his little cup of food and a couple of old white towels so he'd have something to eat and something to sit on. I also filled the end of the tub with water so he could have a drink and wash up a bit, if he were so inclined.

Well, that's the story, so far.
Anyone want a bird?

 

[Math Is Hard]

Oh, dear. I feel for you. He's a pretty little bird, though.

Some doves made a nest in my hanging catnip plant one year. One little bird was born, and he tried to leave the nest too soon and broke his wing. The neighborhood cats, of course,were going berserk over this baby bird with the broken wing who reeked of catnip. I swear, the only thing that could have made the situation worse is if he had a jingle bell on his tail!

I couldn't get him to stay in the nest. A couple of times he fell out and my cat actually retrieved him and (amazingly) brought him to me unharmed. I ended up calling a wildlife sanctuary but they would only take him if I gave them a $85 donation. Softy, that I am, I brought them the bird and forked over the money.

I don't have any hanging plants on the balcony any more. It's just asking for trouble.

 

[Leah]

Some sparrows had a nest next to our deck and had eggs in it. My husband, rennovating the area, threw the nest with the eggs in it on the ground crushing the eggs. The sparrow came back to see her nest gone and started to scream. Both sparrows, I guess mom and dad, kept circling the area looking for their eggs. And they kept screaming. I felt so bad. My husband has no feeling for animals. He would rather shoot squirrels and cats with a b-b gun.

 

[Evo]

Oh, Om, that is so sweet. I hope he doesn't die.

 

[hypatia]

I would take the bird, but it seems its destiny is you. What a special friend you have there. And either it be to ease his passing, or to help him heal, its still very special.

 

[OmCheeto]

Oh, Om, that is so sweet. I hope he doesn't die.

It would appear that was his fate once released:

"[URL
Frequently Asked Questions about having a White Dove Release[/URL]

Beware of unethical businesses that use the smaller white "Ring Neck" doves for release. These are the doves you will often find in pet stores for under $20 dollars. Not only can they not find their way home, they cannot really fly more that a few feet! Any bird other than a racing pigeon will die when released into the wild, including white pigeons purchased from poultry farms.

I believe he's a "ring neck" dove, originally from Africa. (I've been reading up on doves)

He's eaten a bit since I put him in the tub, and he's getting a bit more used to me.

I may have to put a top on his aviary. I can't have a bird in my bath forever.

 

[tribdog]

How do they taste?

 

[Danger]

Well, the weather warmed up so I was out in the back yard this morning scrubbing my Saab Chia.

I thought that you prune Chia pets, not scrub them...

 

[OmCheeto]

I would take the bird, but it seems its destiny is you. What a special friend you have there. And either it be to ease his passing, or to help him heal, its still very special.

I got him onto a towel so I could take him out to the living room.
I found a bunch of you tube dove cooing, laughing, singing videos.
I thought familiar sounds might be more comforting than staring at the inside of a bathtub all day.

He seemed to like the following best:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t1Rpj1ZuNI&feature=related

He just sat and stared through 3 or 4 other videos. But when that one came on, he fluffed all up and started preening himself. Acting all like there was nothing wrong.

I think he's tired. His eyelids are starting to droop. I think I'll set him on top of the fish tank for the night.

 

[OmCheeto]

How do they taste?

Apparently they are quite tasty. The passenger pigeon was eaten to extinction. Doves and Pigeons fall in the same family; Columbidae.

Smaller species tend to be known as doves, while larger species as pigeons, but there is no taxonomic basis for distinguishing between the two.

I suppose if I find my little angel dove, legs up in the morning, I'll set her out on the roof in the morning for the eagle to feast upon. She might have family to feed back home.

 

[hypatia]

Thats one of my favorite songs, are we sure its a him?

 

[tribdog]

Let's experiment try playing your bird these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DBJCCvlXuA"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1f7eZ8cHpM"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97RjuC9YeXg"

 

[Math Is Hard]

NooOOo! Not Disco Duck!

 

[OmCheeto]

Thats one of my favorite songs, are we sure its a him?

She didn't respond to trib's 3 songs. Must have good taste.

I really didn't know anything about pigeons until today. I've not a clue how to tell the sexes apart. Perhaps I'll refer to him/her as Pat.

She's been cleaning her blood soaked feathers for the last two hours over on the fish tank. She's finally settled down and looks like she wants to go to bed. I think I'll shut off the lights, cross my fingers, and do the same.

 

[~christina~]

That's nice that your taking care of..it..(he/she/it!)

I swear it looks like a pigeon from the pictures though. Ring neck doves (white ones) don't have brown wings like the one you have. I think it's a mixed colour pigeon.

P.S They don't all have clearly seen large humongous ceres like the one in the reference pic you posted. (My dad raised pigeons before)

If you google.."white pigeon" you'll see what I mean.

And the part about the, "white racing homer pigeon" blah blah blah..it's actually not quite true.
Street pigeons fly quite well and they are not racing pigeons, and my dad raised quite a few racing pigeons himself. The most common colour was the normal gray. The other pigeons were, poor fliers 99% of the time. It's odd but that's how it is.

 

[tribdog]

She didn't respond to trib's 3 songs. Must have good taste.

Fly like an Eagle did nothing? I would have thought that would be like playing the theme from Rocky to a redneck.

 

[OmCheeto]

I swear it looks like a pigeon from the pictures though. Ring neck doves (white ones) don't have brown wings like the one you have. I think it's a mixed colour pigeon.

P.S They don't all have clearly seen large humongous ceres like the one in the reference pic you posted. (My dad raised pigeons before)

If you google.."white pigeon" you'll see what I mean.

I tried googling but didn't come up with any definitive way to tell them apart.

She stayed on the fish tank all night. Good little birdie. But still a bloody mess on her undersides. I think I'll throw her back in the tub this morning, with a bit more water.

I found a lost and found website listed by http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f20/" , with pictures and contact information.

Argh! Must be a teenage male. He refuses to get in the bath. Where's the belt...

 

[tribdog]

Now you are sure that the blood is from a wound caused by an eagle and not the bloody discharge which is the first sign of avian flu right?

 

[binzing]

Saab? OMg (pun) are you a Saabnut OM?

 

[OmCheeto]

Saab? OMg (pun) are you a Saabnut OM?

Sorry binz, this is an xmas dove angel from heaven thread. You'll have to wait until next year for my saab story.

 

[lisab]

Sorry binz, this is an xmas dove angel from heaven thread. You'll have to wait until next year for my saab story.

So what's your pigeon story? How's he/she doing?

 

[OmCheeto]

So what's your pigeon story? How's he/she doing?

I left her home alone today for about 7 hours and she is doing just fine.

I put everyone's post cards next to her as my living room is about as boring as my bathtub. She was not impressed.

Then I rearranged a bit.

Pergo floor living room, small semi-spillproof dining room(ashtray filled with birdseed), wading pool/jacuzzi/drinking fountain(1" deep, they can't drink from anything less then an inch deep, water needs to be changed twice a day). And, um, since she poops wherever she wants, I didn't bother with a bathroom.

She doesn't seem to have any desire to fly around unless I try and pick her up. She does like to exercise her wings and legs though.

She's pulled most of the feathers from her wound. I imagine they were irritating being all sticky with blood and such.

But as far as I can tell, she seems to be recovering quite well from the eagle attack.

 

[binzing]

Or else PM...

Cute bird, we've saved many from out cats, and a pigeon that had been hit by a car once.

 

[Math Is Hard]

I'm glad she is recovering so well!

Here is a song for you and your little friend:

 

[OmCheeto]

Or else PM...

Cute bird, we've saved many from out cats, and a pigeon that had been hit by a car once.

Ok. It's a '68 beige wagon. You can see it's tail between my house and boat on the "https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?p=2013393#post2013393"" thread.
I was washing it when the dove dropped from the sky. So we're not even close to being off topic.
Did you catch the part where I played Moses, and parted that Robin's red seat?

... sorry ...

I've never had a bird before so I don't really know what to do with her.

Here's a picture of her sitting on my knee yesterday listening to Disco Duck.

 

[binzing]

Chia? Is that cause it grows moss?

My dad had an old 96 at the home place in Corvallis for years that had accumulated quite the layer of moss on it.

 

[OmCheeto]

Chia? Is that cause it grows moss?

My dad had an old 96 at the home place in Corvallis for years that had accumulated quite the layer of moss on it.

The moss generally only grows around the window sills. Everywhere else, it's brown and green algae, with little squiggly slug trails.

 

[binzing]

Lol...My dad's had dents in the hood from my cousin jumping on the hood as a kid.

Actually If you only have one saab your not a saabnut. Lol, when we met the other guy we were with is the local Saabnut/mechanic for the Willamette valley and a lot of Oregon in general. Between him and my dad there's about probably 20-30 saabs owned by them, each with about equal numbers.

 

[tribdog]

How did you get a wild bird to sit on your knee? super glue? wow, you have a pet. Can a dove get to know a person an feel affection for them? I've never had a bird. I knew a guy who had a parrot and that parrot was super attached to the guy.

 

[hypatia]

I put everyone's post cards next to her as my living room is about as boring as my bathtub. She was not impressed.

I beg to differ, the bird looks very impressed with your cards.

And yes Trib, birds can become very attached to humans. I had peach faced Love birds, that I was very close to. They can even get jealous if you spend too much time with someone else.

 

[OmCheeto]

How did you get a wild bird to sit on your knee? super glue? wow, you have a pet. Can a dove get to know a person an feel affection for them? I've never had a bird. I knew a guy who had a parrot and that parrot was super attached to the guy.

Sit on my knee? Just move real slow and don't be a tweaker.

I would have taken her to the river yesterday, but I didn't have a bird cage.
It was a beautiful day on the river.

I wish she could have gone. There were cormorants and winter type chickadee's everywhere. I suppose she's still not well enough for the cold, although she did nip at me for the first time today. I suppose that's a good sign.

She does remind me of my goldfish of old. Today, when I came home from work, she was sitting in the same spot I left her this morning. Not hard for a goldfish, but it must be really hard for a bird to not go anywhere, when there is a whole house to explore.

But I'm pretty sure she was just teasing me. There was quite a bit of food missing from the top of the fish tank.

 

[binzing]

Willamette?

 

[OmCheeto]

Willamette?

Columbia.

Odd. That's almost the same as the family name of the dove: Columbidae.

Actually, everything's been a bit odd. I had a vague recollection of a story my younger brother told me about a white bird a few years back. I called him on Saturday, but he didn't answer. He called me back on Sunday and re-explained the details.

He'd seen the white bird the day of our mothers funeral, which was about 15 years ago. So I imagined that someone I knew was dead somewhere, though if it were someone close, I'm pretty sure I'd have heard about it.

Today when I got to work, the first thing they told me was that a co-worker I'd know for the last 20 years had passed away on Friday.

The bird is apparently a reincarnation of the lady. A pretty good characterization also. A month before she quit, she had all of her teeth pulled out. Birds have no teeth. She had blond hair. The bird has a dirty blond tail. The woman was always giving people crap. My bird craps everywhere.

I'm pretty sure it's her.

 

[OmCheeto]

Since she seems to like the view from the wall mounted lamps so much, I decided to build her a bathroom.

I suppose without the ceiling fans on, it's the warmest place in the house.

I've had to make a few lifestyle changes. No fires in the woodstove, no halogen lamps on except for photo-ops, all ceiling fans permanently off, and the removal of all breakable trinkets from all potential landing sites.

Someone from pigeon 911 contacted me and said that if I can't take care of the bird, they might have someone to take her off my hands.

They said they couldn't tell what she was though because my images were a bit fuzzy.

I guess I'm leaning towards young white pigeon.

 

[Evo]

She's so pretty. Can you tell if the wound is healing ok?