Found Pigeon on side of road, not hurt

Question
QUESTION: Hi, Today we found a pigeon down the block from my house. He is all gray with light gray wings. I think his wings may be clipped. We were driving down the road and saw him standing on the side of the road by the curb just looking around, not moving. We stopped to see if it was hurt and it didn't look like anything was wrong. When I tried to put my finger out, it jumped right up and perched there for the next two hours...My first thought was homing pigeon but there was no band around the leg...Every time one of us tried to put it down it would just try and climb back on. It can fly around, but not high...it few from my finger to my shoulder..it has not eaten yet, I put some whole wheat bread and a water bowl in a cage, in my house... He's very nice, and very hand tame...the only thing is, sometimes he closes one eye..and blinks for a while, and then closes his eye again...and when you put him down, he doesn't move from the spot you leave him. There is a perch in the cage and we left him on it for a while and he didn't try to jump off or move around. We also have a small nesting box in the cage with shavings and he just stood there. We put him in the nesting box around 9PM and one hour has gone by and he has not moved from that spot. We looked all over his body and there are no wounds, and he looks very very clean...like a pet...He has not cooed either...I think pigeons coo?? When we left him, he was in the nesting box closing both of his eyes like he was going to sleep. I'd like to keep him but I want to know if he's okay? Maybe he flew into something, but I'm not sure....He looks healthy! It's very odd... Any info for a new, unexperienced bird helper?

ANSWER: Hi Kendra,

It certainly sounds like he could be someone's pet as he enjoys human company. He might be dehydrated which accounts for his excessive eye blinking. Just offer him some water with a pinch of salt and sugar or Pedialyte to help him rehydrate. Place the water in a bowl with a large diameter and carefully place just the tip of his beak into the water to show him where the water is. You can also trickle some water from above the cage down into the water bowl to initiate the splashing that will get his attention. As for food, you can purchase a pigeon/dove seed mix from a pet shop or feed store. Keep him in a warm, quiet room to recover. Let me know how things go and if you have any other questions or concerns, please don't be afraid to ask!

Thanks,
Stacie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Stacie,
Thanks for responding so quickly. I just have one more question. The Pigeon just stands there when you put him down. You can place him anywhere...in the nesting box, on the ground, on the grass, on the top of the cage...your shoulder..anywhere..and he just sits there...He was on my shoulder for about an hour today and I was moving around and doing things...its like he's on drugs! He's so clam, its like he is sedated...He doesnt look hurt but could he have flown into something, like maybe a house or a tree, and hurt his head? Is there any way to check for Brain Damage? We checked his eyes for dialation and everything seems okay...When you put him down anywhere he just stands there an looks around. You can nudge him a bit and he'll flap a few steps forward and stop and look around...He's not scared of us so Im just really confused..what the heck is up with this bird who just likes to hand out? I hope that he is okay and we just found the coolest bird in the entire world. Thanks for all your help, I'll keep you posted.

Answer
Hi Kendra,

Does he do anything else abnormally? Does he walk strangely or appear to have neurological problems? You stated before that you thought his wings were clipped. Are the primary flight feathers short and cut straight across? Does he eat and drink on his own?

Stacie