How to 'bottle feed' a baby pigeon

(pictures & description courtesy of Marian)

This method of feeding is one used by rehabbers a lot - I'm not sure who developed the method.  I use a glass jar so that I can see the baby is actually eating rather than gulping air. The bottle is deep enough and full enough so that the beak is not poking up through the food and into the air.

The cover of the bottle is vetwrap with a slit cut in the middle, about 3/4 inch. It's held on by a rubber band. Hold the bottle so the cut is vertical to the bird's beak. Guide the beak into the slit and he will quickly pick up gobbling food.  Most babies are too excited to target the hole. They frantically search to one side of the bottle and so need help zeroing in. He'll keep gobbling so you have to see when his mouth has enough food, and gently pull him back or pull the bottle away from him so he can swallow.

After they get their mouthfuls of food this way, they're thirsty and learn to drink right away. While I'm bottle feeding, I leave the same type of food in a dish for them. I don't use seed as I worry that they might inhale one. The food in the pic is Harrison's fine adult pellets. Pigeons do well on it. The pigeon in this pic was eating from the bottle a week ago. He is self feeding now but still eager to bottle feed as he's still a hysterical baby.