# Wood pigeon with no tail feathers



## EffyJiggy

Hello, we recently rescued a pigeon from our chimney but it doesn't have any tail feathers they seem to have possibly been scrapped off in the chimney, not sure, other than that it seems okay, doesn't have any other injuries. Worried that if we release it won't be able to fly properly and suffer. Have kept it for the past week in rabbit hutch with little perch seems quite happy and been eating, think it needed some time to rest after being trapped in the chimney. Will it be okay to release or do you think I should keep it till the tail feathers grow back? we do have small aviary that it could stay in temporarily. 

Any ideas or tips very much appreciated! 
Thanks


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## AlexArt

It should be fine to release, the longer you keep it the more it will loose muscle condition, it's probably a young bird - they don't grow their tail feathers fully until after they fledge - they look like bumble bees in flight, they will grow back!!


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## Nonnie

Theres a magpie near me with no tail feathers (im thinking a lucky escape from a cat) and he flies and turns with no issues at all.


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## Acrophylla

I have reared a woodpigeon from when it fell out of its nest last August. It now lives wild outside but still comes to visit. Anyway, it has had a few scrapes along the way and on a couple of occasions lost some tail feathers. They do grow back, amazingly quickly, but I did notice that during this time, the bird chose to rest a lot, in a tree (or in my house when it was younger), obviously conserving its energy so that its tail feathers could grow back. So you could put your bird in your aviary until it makes it clear that it wants to be let out. By the way, a great food for woodpigeons is oat groats, you soak them overnight, and they are very nutritious. You can buy them on-line from healthySupplies.com. You can tell if your woodpigeon is an adult by looking at its neck- if it has white markings it is an adult, if it is all grey then it is still a juvenile.


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## EffyJiggy

Thanks thats very helpful  , it is an adult bird, its feathers on its wings on one side are a little bend and scuffed too


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