Baby pigeons and mourning doves are very unusual-looking birds that often get mistaken for other babies. If you think you’ve found a baby pelican, a baby eagle, or a baby pterodactyl, it’s probably a rock pigeon or mourning dove!
Is the baby pigeon or dove injured?
A baby pigeon or dove with any of the following signs is injured and needs medical attention:
- There are obvious wounds or blood on their body
- They have had contact with a cat – even with no obvious injuries, this is a medical emergency for baby birds
- The bird is lying on their side and cannot right themself
- They are covered in bugs or insects
- The bird feels cold to the touch
To keep the baby bird(s) safe while you figure out how to help them, put them in a small cardboard box with a soft towel. Even when indoors, or on a warm day, babies can get cold and even hypothermic, so give them a heat source:
- a clean sock filled with dry, uncooked rice, and microwaved for one minute
- a plastic bottle or jar with a tight-fitting lid from the recycling bin filled with hot tap water and wrapped in a tea towel or face cloth (secure it to the box so that it does not squish the baby)
- an electric heating pad set to “LOW” and placed under half of the box
- chemical hand warmers (e.g. Hot Paws) that stay warm for up to 8 hours
Do not give them any food or water – right now keeping them warm in a dark and quiet place is more important. Contact a wildlife rehabilitator right away.
Are you sure which one you’ve found?
Although they look similar and are related, the strategies and living habits of rock pigeons and mourning doves are very different.
Pigeons tend to nest on ledges, balconies, and rooftops in very urban areas, usually with lots of tall apartment buildings or office towers around.
Mourning doves (while they can still be quite urban!) prefer trees, bushes, and windowsills in areas with more more backyards or green space.
Whether or not the babies can be reunited with their parents depends on the situation and the species involved.
Have you seen the parents?
Sometimes you can tell whether the baby is a mourning dove or a pigeon because you have seen its parents nearby.
If you are sure the baby is a pigeon, and you know exactly where the nest is or was and can put it back, do that. If the pigeons are nesting on your balcony and you want to prevent them from doing so in the future, put the baby back on the balcony. Since birds cannot move their nests or babies, and will not care for them in a new location, tolerance is always recommended. Pigeons are fully independent at 4-5 weeks after hatching so they won’t stay for long. For information on how to deter future nesting, check out our page on pigeon nuisance situations.
If you are sure the baby is a mourning dove (see the photo for what a parent looks like), and you can put it back in its nest, do that. If the nest has fallen or been destroyed, check out our page on nestling songbirds to find out how to make a false nest and reunite the baby with its parents. Mourning doves are excellent parents and take very well to false nests.
The “Poop Test”
If you have found a baby pigeon or dove outside of their nest and you don’t see parents nearby, you can try the “poop test”. Gently contain the baby; draping a tea towel over top of them and carefully picking them up is the easiest way to capture them. Have a box lined with white paper or paper towel and put them inside. Baby birds poop regularly and if the parents have been feeding the baby, they should poop within 20 minutes.
A healthy bird poop is moist and white with a dark spot in the middle. If the bird does not poop, if the poop is dry or green, there could be cause for concern and you should contact a wildlife rehabilitator. If the poop is healthy, parents are nearby caring for the baby. However, if the baby is on the ground, there could be cause for concern and you should contact a wildlife rehabilitator. Please note that the poop test is only accurate if the baby bird has not been fed by humans.
Nestling pigeons
Hatchling mourning dove
Nestling pigeon
Adult Mourning Dove Photo credit Ann Brokelmann
If you’re not sure whether the baby is a dove or a pigeon, or your situation is different from the ones above, contact a wildlife rehabilitator for advice.
In the meantime, keep the baby in a dark, quiet spot. Make sure it has a heat source (like a hot water bottle), and don’t give it anything to eat or drink. Further information on temporary care instructions can be found here.
