the rescue report: Tom/Clarita

I got a call 10:30 am on Sunday morning from a very nice and very worried lady named Balbina. She had called WildCare about a "big white injured bird" that had been hiding on her back deck for almost 24 hours and WildCare referred her to me. I could have referred her to SF ACC (they come and rescue hapless king pigeons all the time) but she didn't live too far from me and I figured if it was injured, I might as well just go get it directly rather than have ACC get it from Balbina and then call me. Of course, I was already full up but what the hell.

When I arrived fifteen minutes later, Balbina was waiting outside her apartment for me. Once inside, I wanted to take a picture of the bird (pre-rescue is the better shot jouralistically speaking) but that big, beady camera eye spooks even healthy birds and so I didn't risk it. He (or she?) was hiding under their patio furniture and wasn't happy to be cornered and made a serious bid to rocket past me when I caught it. Once safely indoors, we took a look to get a sense of the injury and then snuck a quick picture with rescuers Balbina and her husband Marcos for my scrapbook. Marcos named the king pigeon Clarita or Tom, gender to be determined.

Once I had the bird, I had to figure out what to do with it. It was Sunday, avian vets were closed, I had a day full of appointments and it was strong and showing good energy. I decided to do as trained and care for it at home unless it started to go sideways on me in which case I would drop everything and rush it to get emergency care.

I don't know what caused the injury and couldn't find any others (like you would expect from a dog bite or hawk strike). I gave Tom sub cu fluids, irrigated and disinfected the wound, administered pain med and started a broad spectrum antibiotic. I didn't attempt stitches (though some pij rescuers do). Everything seems to be working out because Tom is doing very well.

He surprised me the next morning by flying to the top of the kitchen cabinets and I've since moved him downstairs with the other convalescing pij (Louie, Dee Dee, Frankie, baby Bo and pigeon rescuer Cheryl's birthday-rescued bird Jan).

His wound is healing and I expect he will make a full recovery. Tom (I think) is a cock and available for adoption.

1/28/09 Update

Tom/Clarita is now known to be Clarita and her wound has healed up beautifully.

She's now mated to Frankie the flightless racing pij. (I'm sure he used to fly fast because he definitely runs fast now. I call him Squirrel Boy!) They take great care of their fake eggs.