Help a Pigeon in Need

Bring the pigeon inside. A cardboard box or pet carrier works well.

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Keep them warm, quiet, and dry, away from pets. If it is cold outside, provide a heating pad if available.

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Do not offer food to cold or wet animals.

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Note: Contacting support without first securing the animal can waste resources. The bird cannot be helped if it is not secured and may leave the scene or be attacked before rehabbers can respond.

Find Pigeon Help Near You.

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Portland, Oregon Metro Area
Contact the PDX Pigeon Lovers (Portland, Oregon) Facebook group.

Include a clear photo, your location, and what you have observed about the bird. Arcadia Avian Refuge and partnering rehabbers and organizations are most active in this group.

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Seattle / Northwest Washington
Contact Cascadia Pigeon Rescue on Facebook.

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Outside PNW / Greater Pigeon Rescue Network
Contact the Palomacy Help Group for Pigeon & Dove Rescue & Adoption, a large network that can help connect finders with pigeon-experienced resources. 

 

Animal rescue is hard work, especially for animals like pigeons who often fall outside the traditional animal welfare system. Much of this work is done quietly by independent rescuers and small organizations giving their time, homes, and personal resources to birds who might otherwise have nowhere to go.

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If a rescuer is able to take in a bird you've found, please consider offering a small donation toward their care. Even $20 can make a meaningful difference toward food, medication, supplies, and the ongoing costs of rehabilitation—and helps support the often tired, stretched-thin people who continue showing up for these animals.

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⚠️ A Note About Wildlife Rehabilitation

Contacting official wildlife rehabbers such as Bird Alliance of Oregon or animal control will result in euthanasia due to regulations and restrictions on licensed rehabbers in the state of Oregon as feral city pigeons are on the "invasive species" list. Do not take birds here unless euthanasia is the best option (extreme injury).

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Young pigeon that can't fly
Young pigeons sometimes leave the nest before they are fully capable of surviving independently. With protection, appropriate nutrition, and time to mature, many can eventually be released with an established flock.

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Exhausted or lethargic racing pigeon
Racing pigeons are domesticated birds and may become lost, dehydrated, malnourished, or exhausted while attempting to return home. These birds can be identified typically be bands on their legs. A grounded racing pigeon that can be approached or caught should be brought somewhere safe and connected with an experienced pigeon rescuer.

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Injured or sick pigeon
Common problems rescuers encounter include malnutrition, canker/trichomoniasis, parasites, string-foot injuries, window strikes, vehicle collisions, and predator attacks. Pigeon-experienced rehabbers may have feeding equipment and access to appropriate veterinary treatment

Don't know what's wrong? That's okay. Get the bird somewhere safe and contact a pigeon rescuer.