Baby pigeon doing well

Hard to believe he’s the same bird!   Still doesn’t look like a pigeon though, his beak is wide and flat, his wings are as big as an adult bird already.  They have a broad white bar of feathers across them.   I’ve called him Squabbie, he’s a plump bird, not the prettiest but his lovely nature makes up for it – he’s intelligent, responsive and likes to sit on my arm and be carried around.   He also likes to be preened and I spend a few minutes stroking him after every feed.

Feeding him isn’t easy.   Most baby birds have a wide open mouth ready for a worm but Squabbie wants regurgitated food so he is looking for his mum’s open beak all the time.   I make him a soft mix of seed bread and grain and chick crumbs (for the grit which is necessary for birds to digest their food).  Then I persuade him to open his beak and down it goes.   it can be messy though and he has to have his face washed afterwards.   One good thing is that he drinks on his own.   Trying to give him liquid would be worrying, it can so easily go down the wrong way.

We’re still sure he’s a pigeon are we?    And just to remind you how he looked when he first came in …………