I found a wild dove. Is it sick or just scared? What should I do?

It's possible the bird may be injured or ill. If he still doesn't recover, even after eating and drinking and resting some, it is a good idea to contact a local wildlife rehab in your area. They may be able to come get the bird (or have you bring him to them) so he can be examined, treated for any issues, and safely re-released.

It would be hard to tell if it is OK or not without an exam in person. It could be the bird is just stressed out from the day's activity, however, with wild animals it is best to try and find a vet that will see them, or a local wildlife rehab in your area that will take the bird in, examine it, treat it, and re-release it in the wild.

Thanks for reaching out about Birdie. The possibility of aspiration pneumonia is high, or another respiratory infection. A veterinary visit or relinquishment to a wildlife rehabilitation facility is recommended. Good luck.

If you've found a wild bird, the best course of action is to try and find a wildlife rehab near you that can take the bird in, especially if it is ill. Seeing if there are any vets that see wild animals near you is also a good idea. Since the bird is showing signs of illness, making sure to keep it separated from any other birds in a hospital cage, and washing hands and clothing coming into contact with it is best to prevent the spread of any illness. You can try to offer a mashed up baby bird food diet, however if it is unable to keep any food down, there could be an issue with the crop (infection, illness, obstruction) or GI tract that needs to be seen by a vet in person.

It's possible something may have startled your bird and is causing the wary behavior you are seeing, however if she is puffed up or refusing to eat/drink then that can indicate a potential illness. If you see other signs such as changes to the stool, or listless behavior those can also indicate illness and should be checked out by a vet. Otherwise, giving her a little space and leaving food and water where she can easily access it may help her calm down some and return to normal behavior.

I am sorry to hear about your situation. It sounds like she defintely needs medical attention. I would see if your parents can drive her to a rehab center or some rehab volunteers will pick animals up so perhaps you can find someone to do this. You can look at https://www.nwrawildlife.org/page/Find_A_Rehabilitator and https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-find-wildlife-rehabilitator to try to find a rehabilitator near you. Until then I would keep the bird in a quiet dark place and handle it as little as possible.

I'm sorry to hear that. Ideally, google wildlife rehabilitation in your area. Realistically, it doesn't sound like this bird is going to survive. For that reason, I would recommend that you contact a vet ASAP, and explain the situation. The vet can humanely euthanize the pigeon if he/she is concerned that the pigeon won't survive or be able to survive in the wild if it does recover.