I recently came across this picture of Sam examining one of the pigeons.
I have some pics of the little crippled guy eating the other day that I’ll try to post today. Yesterday (Sunday) we were gone all day, but I am home all day today and will try to keep an eye out for him.
There is some very good news. The little crippled guy did show up again this morning (Monday morning), and he’s walking again! Sort of. It’s him all right, and his legs stiill look funny. He walks very stiffly and cannot walk or even stand for long at all. Still eats mostly lying down but will struggle up every now and then. Eats awhile like that, then lies down again. Legs still at odd angles. When he does walk, it’s rather stiff and rather bow-legged even. Couldn’t get a look at his underside to see what’s happening with the feathers there. We will always wonder just what the hell happened to him.
He does seem to be male, as he snapped back at one of the other new babies trying to snap at him.
No further sign of Spooky for a few days, and Pinkie’s not been seen again at all despite Big Red coming around.
Okay, some photos of the little crippled guy. First, two from Saturday:
Here’s the little crippled guy eating. Notice he’s lying down to eat, but he sure is tucking in. He was starving. That’s an anonymous Sammy lurking in the background. And one more. Notice how his wings curve upward in the back. They’re being pushed up from the pressure of lying on the floor.
Now this morning (Monday morning):
He’s trying to stand. Still has to use his wing for balance, and he can’t stand for long, but he’s improving. Here he’s lying down again to eat. And here he is joined by another baby. And one more. That baby is the one who started pecking at the little crippled guy, right after I took these photos. (He’s also the one I showed before up above, on the left or at nine o’clock in this family photo.) The gimp pecked back though, which I took as a a good sign as well as an indication he’s male (could still be female though). I squirted the baby with water to get him to leave Gimpy alone.
I’m afraid Gimpy may be this one’s name, as it seems to have stuck. The wife had never heard it before and thought it sounded pretty. I explained what it meant, but she still thinks it sounds pretty. But this is a very pretty bird, and it’s a shame he had to be injured so badly so early in life, just three months old or so. And I’m thinking maybe the legs weren’t broken after all. He can even walk on them a bit now albeit awkwardly; but would he be able to do that just eight days after having them broken? And then there’s the mysterious missing feathers on his belly. I’m thinking electric shock again, but I really don’tknow. I’m just glad the little guy seems to be getting better.
Pinkie, however, I’m afraid may be gone for real. Big Red stopped by today with what appears to be his new mate. That would indicate Pinkie’s dead. This is another white one, with just the barest hint of some black dots on the face and neck. Otherwise, very, very white. Big Red seems to really go for the white ones – first Mint, then Pinkie. We’re guessing this one may be his and Pinkie’s daughter, just as he took his daughter Pinkie as a mate after Mint died. That would make this one his daughter and granddaughter and mate. He’d fit right in in Kentucky, I think.
You misspelled “Indiana”.
What is the average lifespan of a pidgee in the wild? I have no idea.
Wikipedia says 3-5 years is the lifespan in the wild as opposed to 15 years in captivity. But I’ve had some people tell me they’ve seen the same pigeon for 20 years or more. Henry’s about 3 years old now, we think. The way we feed him (and certain others), I’d say he’s semi-domesticated.
Tuesday morning over here now, and when I got up and looked out first thing, Gimpy – so the little crippled guy seems to be designated – was soaking in the water dish. Not splashing around taking a bath. Just sitting there soaking. May have felt good on his legs. I tried to open the curtain slowly, but he flew away. (He was facing the door.) But he came back for breakfast, and his little legs are growing stronger. He still has to lie down a lot but can stand for longer periods now and even land okay on the rails, even a middle rail. He’s definitely recovering.
It’s spelled “Arkansas”…
Wednesday morning now and Gimpy is out there doing very well on his legs. Whatever misfortune befell him, the crisis seems to be over. I’ll post more photos of him soon.
Gimpy’s had his morning meal and left. Seems to be his pattern, coming here only in the morning. He walks rather stiffly, and I think his right leg is still sort of bent. But again, he seems to have very little problem now, and I don’t think he’s in pain. I guard him as best I can, giving a little squirt to most of those who start to peck at him. But Henry is king, and I never squirt him or Geri or some of the other old-timers, instead making do with disapproving noises.
This one whose photo I ran earlier is an odd one. His dark face resembles a human’s port-wine stain. He’s been coming by more frequently, and even though he’s almost as big as Henry, he’s very shy and timid, not aggressive at all. And still has black eyes, indicating he’s still a baby despite his size. Henry gets as mad at him as he does at Ladyboy; that seems to indicate offspring he wants to be rid of, wants them to leave him alone and go make their own lives.
One long-time couple who’ve sudenly stopped coming around is Boots and Bruiser. We may have seen Boots a couple of times recently, but Bruiser has not been spotted for several weeks now. Pity. He was very much the bully but clearly loved Boots. They made big use if the designated sex area, which we don’t see used anymore at all now.
Well, he’s lost his shyness and started chasing away Geri and Ladyboy, so we’ve had to chase him away a couple times for doing that.
Saturday morning, and a gray arrived that looked like the victim of an attack. It’s tail is chewed up, and there’s feathers stuck all over the right foot and leg. May be Boots, has the same sort of “socky feet,” but not sure. Doesn’t act injured, so I suspect it got away from the cat or dog in time. Must smart though. No blood that I could see; I suspect the feathers stuck all over the foot and leg are tail feathers stuck there by whatever fluid did come out of the tail.
Gimpy has recovered nicely but I’m thinking will always walk with a limp. The right leg is at a slightly odd angle, but you couldn’t tell just by glancing at it. We’re back to thinking maybe female, as Gimpy’s really small. But when he or she walks, it’s with sort of a limp, throwing the leg out occasionally like that old cowboy actor used to do back in the day.
A couple of problems have cropped up. One is a white bully who is trying to take over the balcony. He’s never far away, and he mercilessly bullies anyone else who comes here. When we feed the regulars, we have to stand guard and make sure he stays away, but this time of year the tropical sun comes blazing into our unit if we open the curtains. So no one gets fed until late morning.
But a bigger problem is they’re going to paint our building starting in October, all 36 stories of it. (Actually, they’re going to paint all four 36-story buildings that are grouped together here.) There will be all sorts of Spider-Men hanging outside, and we’ll have to try to cut down on the pidgee population pretty drastically. It dipped some while we were in the US but has since rebounded strongly. Already we’re feeding only the core group – Henry, Geri, Ladyboy, (her mean husband if he’s with her) and Big Red – only if they’re here alone. Gimpy too, but he may need to move on now that he’s pretty much recovered.
Okay, we’ve been able to determine that the gray with the chewed-up tail is Boots. Her mate Bruiser is back around,and they just “did it” in the designated sex area. Dunno what got ahold of Boots, but it’s not keeping her from having sex. Just glad she managed to escape whatever it was.
We just bought a new camera, a Canon PowerShot G1X, and the movie mode looks very simple. I may try filming Henry and uploading to YouTube. That’s if I can figure out how to do that. I guess I’ll need a YouTube account first. This may be overly ambitious.
As much as I love my jobs, I hate missing out on what’s going on in the pidgee world. I’m very glad that Boots is back and doing better. And I am NOT going to make Gimpy a favorite. I am NOT. (chuh…right) 
With all the white pigmentation in some of your resident pidgees, I wonder if the new bully is a long lost family member?
And I imagine your core group, who know what side their bread is buttered, will either brave the painters or watch and come back when it’s safe.
Again, thanks for the update!
Oh, we’re sure The Bully is related to Henry somehow. But he’s a right bastard, that one is.
Today, Gimpy seems just about 100%. Just a vestige of a limp. We’ll always wonder what happened to him. I’m still thinking electric shock. Stillno more sightings of Spooky or Pinky. Big Red has only returned alone, not with that new girl, although she herself has appeared on her own once or twice.
It really says something when you give the pidgees names, and recognize them! LOL
I’m truly glad to hear Gimpy is doing well. My life has been depressing lately, and I need something like that to cheer me up!
They’re very distinctive. They all have individual markings and personalities. You need to go find you some pidgees to watch; they’re a barrel of laughs. 
I can vouch for this and I hope **Baker **takes you up on it. I often take bread to a nearby park and feed the pigeons. I have my favorites and am getting to know them - the shy ones, the bullies, the brave ones. I haven’t given any of them names but greet them all as “Bob” because of the way they walk. They always make me smile.
Oh, I believe you, and I love reading this thread. I like birds, I’m a member of the Audubon Society. I wish I did have some place to watch the pidgees like Siam Sam does, but the layout of my house is against it.
I was bummed to read an article in this morning’s paper, about the death of a young falcon. The power company has a falcon nesting box fitted up with cameras, two young were hatched this year, and, sadly, neither has survived. One fell out of the box before it was old enough to fly, and the second, named Edison, must have had a flying accident, as it was found yesterday evening with a broken neck.
A little more good news is that Spooky showed up again yesterday afternoon (Wednesday afternoon). Unfortunately though, her right leg remains broken. She was lounging in the flower box and was frightened when she saw me. Flew off to the window frames with her leg still hanging down uselessy. Then flew off into the distance, leg still hanging down. Whatever happened to her must be different than Gimpy. But she’s surviving.
Amazing what pigeons can endure. In Washington a couple of months ago, we saw one that was hobbling along. It was missing one foot entirely and most of the other one. :eek:
Boots still comes by with her raggedy-ass tail. It doesn’t seem to bother her at all though.
Henry and Geri are coming by less frequently and eating less when they do. The other pidgees seem to disturb them more, and even Henry is now scared of The Bully (who might even be Henry’s son.) All the more reason to work on thinning out the crowd.