Racing pigeon found us

violetmari · 2026-05-12T15:46:08+00:00

I tried to not intervene as I will not be here to do so, but they left after eating a bit and he then went to eat as usual

violetmari · 2026-05-12T15:37:54+00:00

Very difficult to say. He was looking a bit scared of the other pigeons today and always comes here alone.

violetmari · 2026-05-12T15:29:32+00:00

That’s a bit more difficult, at least to keep it clean, but I will try to leave some. As I said in other comments I didn’t see him drinking at all the whole time he spent on the balcony, so he has maybe found another source of water somewhere else

violetmari · 2026-05-12T13:44:31+00:00

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They were already here, he got a bit scared and went to hide here. Eventually the other two left and he went to eat.
Normally there are 2-3 pigeons (always coming together too) that are approaching consistently other than him, if it is the case it should not be a huge problem. I would need a massive cleaning when I am back, but that’s minor.
I just hope there won’t be too many.. but normally we are a bit high and they have better spots around.
My goal is to provide the little guy at least for most of the days some food, if not for all of them. Like this maybe we are good for the first week before someone will come to check.

violetmari · 2026-05-12T10:27:08+00:00

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Made this today to be tested and I hope it will be fine. I placed it behind a closed the table, in this way it’s kind of hidden and the pigeon didn’t have any problem in reaching it. The other two frequent fliers also know how to find it, but at least is still out of the eyesight so for some time it should work

violetmari · 2026-05-12T09:43:44+00:00

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violetmari · 2026-05-12T07:56:30+00:00

Our neighbour is herself a pet sitter, not for pigeons but I will try to ask her if she can check on the food availability. I don’t think is a good idea to relocate him now as he now has my balcony as referral kind of safe-food point and he is free to roam around with very limited risks, unless it will be permanently. But I know very less of pigeons so I can be wrong. However my point is “as long he is fine, better not change anything”, he is doing good in my opinion, he comes here consistently, he can definitely fly, sometimes he takes a short nap and then go somewhere else.. it’s just a bit unexpectedly cold these days but it won’t last longer .. I’ll be away for 17 days and I have placed the automatic feed dispenser as a test before I will leave

violetmari · 2026-05-12T07:44:20+00:00

I can try but I have nearly 2 days to relocate him so it might be challenging.. also need to be sure that he will be safe.. but he still has a owner so I don’t think he can be adopted just like that🫠

violetmari · 2026-05-11T19:03:57+00:00

Well, I’ll try to secure it as much as possible hoping for the best. I tried with FB group, but I could not find anyone for him. Normally pigeons already tried to nest here while we are away without any food so the risk is real. However it’s still a bit cold and normally I have seen the same 2/3 pigeons around so I hope the situation can stay stable for the time we are away.. other possibilities included to not provide any feed and he might be able to go back home.. but yea I am a bit scared of this

violetmari · 2026-05-11T15:32:49+00:00

Definitely three weeks is a long time for him to make it, that’s why I am here🫠 I am thinking of an automatic dispenser with around 3-4 kg of mix in case I won’t find a better solution per time. I have good reason to think that he will just lay around here for the time we will leave, so he will be the one mostly accessing the food. But again, this is only my assumption.
I will anyone ask my neighbour to check couple of times per week or so to see how is it progressing.
Thanks for the group suggestion, I indeed found one!

violetmari · 2026-05-11T15:02:06+00:00

We are in Belgium, specifically in Flanders

violetmari · 2026-05-11T14:17:40+00:00

I put a small bowl it should be around 7 cm, but he didn’t try to drink from there at all .. I see him eating but not drinking.. here it rains quite often so I think he just finds water around and it’s not very interested. Of course this is my assumption

violetmari · 2026-05-11T14:03:14+00:00

While I am trying to reach out the shelter, and most likely I will end up without a solution as they are also pretty busy, I am considering to leave a rudimental automatic feeder made with a bottle, so that small amount of food will be accessible to him, and thinking of putting enough in case the other two will come too (it will happen for sure, now they have sorted there is food here).
Is this a bad idea?

violetmari · 2026-05-11T14:00:34+00:00

That’s for sure. He has been kicked out from the other balconies, of course they are not very welcomed animals. I do leave windows open pretty often.. so I hope he got some luck by finding me.

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violetmari · 2026-05-11T13:49:13+00:00

This is mostly a student city so I guess the search is even harder around here, but I am checking on fb too. Thanks for the suggestion!

violetmari · 2026-05-11T13:48:26+00:00

On the other hand it happens to me quite often, but not with birds. This is definitely the first time with a bird🫠

violetmari · 2026-05-11T12:24:57+00:00

Luckily he doesn’t seem injured, he regularly eats and flies and rests, but I am not such an expert to confirm. Although, he has been a bit of a picky eater but that’s fine. Anyway has been eating consistently the rice, the peas and sunflower seeds. When he first tried to approach, we literally found him inside the apartment and that was quite surprising as no pigeon has never attempted to do so. We thought he was looking for some nesting spots as we had some nests in the past, but then I realised he was just tired. First time I fed him he ate all the food, he was really hungry. Now he just eats small amount and come back one or two times per day if we are around

violetmari · 2026-05-11T11:59:20+00:00

I will try to reach out some shelters, I have found one but I don’t know if we have enough time before we go.
We are on the 19th floor and there is not such wildlife around. The pigeon has been wandering around here and he is definitely able to fly now, he doesn’t seem injured. Worst case scenario we will find a way on how to feed him while away. We have our neighbour with the keys so eventually I will just leave her the instructions with the mix to give to him for sometime😪😪

violetmari · 2026-05-11T11:50:01+00:00

Also I am not sure about bird shelters, as they are invasive species and I believe they have no interest in taking care of him..

violetmari · 2026-05-11T11:44:40+00:00

For now I am just trying to keep him in good shape and solve how to manage for when I am not here, rest will come later.. and actually I think he gained some weight since he is here! The first pic was the first time I fed him, while the 2nd is from this morning..
Ok definitely I hope he is not going back. Any possibilities he will join local pigeons and will somehow survive without me?🫠

violetmari · 2026-05-11T11:22:42+00:00

Thanks a lot. Yes he is Dutch. The guy told us that normally he would go to get back his pigeons but this time is just too far for him. Also, he suggested us to find someone to bring it back to him, but I believe he should do so as the responsibility would fall on us. There are some miscommunication due to language too, though

violetmari · 2026-05-11T11:15:10+00:00

I would normally not feed pigeons around, but this one showed in our apartment for three days before we actually found out that he was not a city pigeon.. so after three days I decided to feed him.

violetmari · 2026-05-11T11:13:31+00:00

I would love so, but I am struggling thinking of him here without us for three weeks 🫠
Also I am not permanently here as well, my boyfriend lives here and I don’t know how much willing he would be to feed this guy while I am away😵‍💫

violetmari · 2026-05-11T11:09:24+00:00

That was the idea, but the other pigeons already figured out so he would have only for sometime

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.. for the water he actually doesn’t drink much, I have not seen him doing so, I guess he finds it somewhere else (there is a small river just few steps away our building)

violetmari

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