Found a sick or injured pigeon
If you've found a sick or injured pigeon, follow our guide to get them the right care quickly. From tangled feet to fallen fledglings, some pigeons may need immediate assistance, while others are better left alone.
On this page you’ll learn how to identify an injured pigeon, common foot problems, how to help injured, baby and homing pigeons, and what to do if you find a dead pigeon.
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Bird flu warning
Don’t touch or handle sick or dead birds. However, if you have to, thoroughly wash your hands immediately afterwards, keeping them away from your face or food. Due to the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) currently in place across the UK, some birds can't be handled.
How to tell if a pigeon is injured or distressed
It’s not uncommon to see a pigeon looking a little worse for wear, limping, or with their feet tangled in human debris. If you’re unsure whether a pigeon is injured or in distress, look out for the following signs:
Obvious wounds or bleeding
This could mean they’ve been attacked by an animal, which risks infection.
They don’t move when you approach
Pigeons are used to the company of people, however they tend to walk or fly away if we get too close. A pigeon that stays put might be unable to move due to injury.
Appearing wobbly and unbalanced
If the pigeon can’t hold their head up or keep their balance properly, or their head and neck looks twisted, something might be wrong.
Swellings or crusty growths on the skin
Usually seen on the face, legs or feet.
Panting or breathing fast
This is a normal way for birds to cool down, but if you’ve seen a pigeon doing this for at least two hours, it could be a sign of disease.
Their feathers are ruffled
If the pigeon looks dishevelled and fluffed up, this may indicate illness. However, pigeons also puff out their feathers to keep warm, especially during winter.
They’re unable to fly
If the pigeon attempts to fly away but is unable to, or keeps falling when they try, they may be suffering from an injury to their wing.
What to do with an injured pigeon
If you find an injured adult pigeon, or one that seems sick or hurt, the best way to help them is to contact your local vet. You can rescue the animal and take them to the vet in a wildlife rescue box if you’re able and it’s safe to.
However, if the pigeon is in a dangerous location (such as on a clifftop, train track or busy road), or you’re unable to pick them up, call us on 0300 123 8960 and we’ll provide advice to get them the help they need.
You can help protect bird populations by reporting sick pigeons, or other ill birds you find, to the Garden Wildlife Health project, who monitor diseases in garden birds.
What if the bird is displaying signs of avian flu?
If the pigeon is showing signs of bird (avian) flu – though they’re highly resistant to it – don’t attempt to rescue and transport them yourself. In this case, contact us on 0300 123 8960.
Signs of bird flu include:
- Swollen head
- Watering or closed eyes
- Loss of balance and coordination
- Drooping wings
- Dragging legs
- Unresponsiveness
- Twisted head and neck
- Loose, watery or discoloured droppings
- Sneezing or gurgling
- Bleeding from the back of the legs and under the neck
Found a trapped pigeon
If you find a pigeon that’s caught in netting or stuck in a chimney, and it’s unsafe to free them yourself, contact us on 0300 123 8960. If you find a dead, trapped or entangled pigeon, find out what to do below.
It’s an offence to intentionally take, injure or kill pigeons, except under licence. Find out more about pigeon protection on our living with pigeons page.
Read more on how to help a small injured wild animal or how to help other birds.
Pigeon foot problems
Pigeons regularly suffer from foot problems, including entanglement and pigeon pox (a disease that causes growths on their body, and can affect the appearance of their feet).
The main reason many pigeons suffer from deformed feet and legs is us. Things we throw away or drop – such as threads, strings, cotton, fishing line, loose hair and other fine fibres – get tangled around their feet. As they walk, the tangle tightens, eventually cutting off their blood supply, leaving the pigeon without the use of the leg or foot.
This is why so many pigeons are seen hobbling or limping, their feet curved, hooked or bent at odd angles. If both feet are entangled, they lose the ability to walk, often resorting to ‘wing walking’ (dragging themselves along by their wings).
Prevent the pain
The best thing you can do to protect pigeons is to be mindful of what you throw away. Be careful when putting rubbish out that may get caught around pigeon feet, such as hair from hairbrushes or loose string and cotton. While some birds may use this as nesting material, they can pose a risk to birds' welfare.
Found a baby pigeon
Baby pigeons, called squabs, are rarely seen as they remain in their nest until they’ve grown enough to look like an adult pigeon.
So what does a baby pigeon look like?
Hatchling
Born completely naked, with pink skin, a large beak, and yellow fuzz.
Nestling
Feathers begin to grow, but they’re still pink with patches of yellow fuzz.
Fledgling
Almost fully feathered, the size and appearance of an adult pigeon.
If you’ve found an injured baby pigeon, they’re out of their nest, have been abandoned or are in danger, consider the situation carefully before taking any action.
For baby pigeons that are found on their own
If they’re a fully feathered young bird (fledgling) on the ground:
Leave them alone
Only move the fledgling (to a safe place a short distance away) if they’re in immediate danger.
Retreat
Then, or if they’re already in a safe spot, retreat from the area and return an hour or so later to see if the bird is still there. The chances are the squab’s parents are nearby and will continue feeding it once you’ve left.
Take them to a vet
If the baby pigeon is still there when you return, and there’s no parent pigeon with it, contact a vet. You can transport them with a wildlife rescue box (make sure to wear thick gloves and eye protection, and keep contact with the animal to a minimum) if you’re able and it’s safe to. Watch our video guide on how to help and transport a bird.
If they’re a nestling that should still be in the nest (not fully feathered):
Take them to a vet
The quickest way to get them help is to contact a vet. You can transport them with a wildlife rescue box, if you’re comfortable to (wearing thick gloves and eye protection, and keeping contact with the bird to a minimum). Watch our video guide on how to help and transport a bird.
Don’t attempt to return them to their nest
This could disturb other young in there, or any foliage that was providing valuable camouflage. Disturbing bird nests is also illegal. Find full guidance on helping baby birds found out of their nest here.
If you’re unable to pick up the baby pigeon and take them to a vet, or they’re in a dangerous location (such as on a clifftop, train track or busy road), call us on 0300 123 8960 and we’ll provide advice to get them the help they need.
The golden rule
The best thing to do with any potential injured wildlife is to withdraw and observe. Monitor rom a safe distance to see if the situation improves, if parents return, or if they wander off before taking action.
Each year between April and July, as many as 20,000 fledglings are picked up and passed on to the RSPCA by people who think the bird has been abandoned or orphaned. In most cases, they’re simply out of the nest feeding while their parents are somewhere nearby.
Found a homing pigeon
Homing pigeons, also called racing pigeons, can sometimes stop to rest when travelling long distances. As they’re selectively bred feral pigeons, they easily blend in with the crowd when resting or foraging.
You can identify a homing pigeon by the ring they typically have around at least one of their legs, which will have a number beginning with ‘GB.’
It’s not uncommon for certain conditions or circumstances (like incomplete training, severe weather, predators or exhaustion) to disrupt a homing pigeon’s journey and disorient them.
If you think you’ve found a lost racing pigeon that appears healthy, you should:
- Keep them safe: If they’re in your garden, try to keep any pets and other animals away from the pigeon. You can leave out food and water for them while they rest. If they’re in a public space, they should have access to food scraps, but feeding them will help them refuel faster. Usually, after some time to recover, they’ll fly home.
- Report the pigeon: If they don’t fly off, but don’t appear injured, report them to the Royal Pigeon Racing Association (RPRA), who will help to reunite them with their owner.
For a homing pigeon that appears sick or injured – take them to a vet. If you’re able to, pick up and transport the pigeon using a wildlife rescue box (watch our video for guidance) and take them to your local vet, who will then contact the owner through the RPRA. If you can’t take the pigeon yourself, contact us on 0300 123 8960 for more advice.
Found a dead pigeon
There may be sad occasions when you find a pigeon that’s died, whether from an accident, injury or natural causes. Even in these unfortunate circumstances, there are still things you can do to protect pigeons.
If you find a dead pigeon, report it to Defra (who monitor the spread of bird flu) and to the Garden Wildlife Health project(who monitor the health of, and identify disease threats to, British wildlife).
If you find a dead pigeon in netting – or somewhere you know birds regularly get trapped – contact us at wildlife@rspca.org.uk with details of the address where the netting is located, the property owner if known, and the date you saw the birds. We’ll contact the owner of the property as part of our Wild Birds and Netting project.
Found another type of animal?
Find more information on how to help an injured wild animal here.
For quick advice if you’ve found a sick or injured small wild animal, or a wild animal that’s bigger than a rabbit or a cat, is a farm animal, stray dog, or an animal on the road, here’s what you can do to help:
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There are extra measures you need to take, so check our website to find out.
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Visit our website, or call us on 0300 123 8960.
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Call the Animal Plant and Health Agency.
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Call the police. On minor roads, call the police on 101. In certain circumstances, for example if you find a badger who appears uninjured and is on a motorway or A-road, call Highways England (0300 123 5000) or Traffic Wales (0845 602 6020) who will make arrangements for the animal to be removed. If they appear injured, call us on 0300 123 8960.
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If you hit, or see somebody hit a dog, horse, cattle, pig, goat, sheep, donkey or mule, report the accident to the police.
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Call the local council.
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Read our small mammal guides on how to identify if a small wild animal is sick or injured, and how to safely pick them up and transport them to your nearest vet.
