Okay, I might have done something stupid...

Last night, my boyfriend came in after walking the dogs and said I should make sure to keep them away from a diseased pigeon in my driveway. He said it was missing a bunch of feathers and looked pretty sick. It wasn't moving, even after walking by with two dogs.

I went outside to check. A pigeon was in the gutter of my driveway, not moving and just looking miserable, for lack of a better word. It was missing all the feathers on the back of it's head. To me, it looked kind of bloody like they had been ripped out. The rest of the feathers looked fine. Perhaps it had possibly been attacked by something? It's eyes were half closed. I felt sorry for the poor thing so... I got a box from inside and lined it with newspaper and paper towels. Using a paper towel, I picked up the pigeon and put it inside. Then I got some wild bird seed that I use in my bird feeders and put it along with a small bowl of water in the corner of the box. I taped a paper towel across half of the top to give it more privacy. It seemed to perk up a little and moved around a bit. I was worried about predators (like cats) so I put the box on my back porch, which is not enclosed. This morning when I took the dog out, I looked in the box, and the pigeon had died.

Do I need to worry about bringing any kind of disease into my home with my parrots? I never brought the box or pigeon inside my home. I washed my hands several times and stayed away from my birds after dealing with the pigeon.

awww poor sweet baby. Thanks for trying to help. Arty will be on to discuss it with you further.

Hi Dawn,
Thank you for offering help to the bird of peace.
It is always a good idea to wash your hands before and after handling any wild bird, before so they don't catch anything from you, and after so you don't catch anything from them.
I use bleach here, a small amount in your palm, scrub well and rinse well.
Always keep any bird weather wild or domesticated away from your other birds.
Pigeons are not the disease carriers folks think they are, no more or less than any wild animal...this false image needs to end...
The bird was more than likely attacked by a stray cat and the cat saliva alone will kill the bird, or dog saliva, or human saliva.
I used to be a member of AI, there's a generous amount of information on that site under the Pigeon & Dove forum Dawn, I have also posted a generous amount of information right here on ParrotChatter in the Dove & Pigeon forum, the more you know about the bird of peace, the better you will be able to respond to there needs.
Hopefully the information I have provided will help you and others change there minds about the Dove & Pigeon.
Your kindness towards the Pigeon and your Parrots are highly remarkable, you done everything correct, again thank you for all you do to help birds...
The bird of peace thanks you!
Peace
Arty

I am sorry to hear that the pigeon didnt make it... but thank you for all you did for it......

it may have been attacked by a cat or anything.....

itis now flying freeeeee.......... no pain ................

At least you tried to help him. So many would not have done that. Thank you.

Thank you for trying to help.