RSPCA cares for pigeons disturbed during house clearance

Wildlife experts in Hastings are caring for 21 pigeons who were accidentally disturbed during a house clearance in Kent.

Workmen discovered their nests while working on the roof of a property in Broadstairs on Monday (April 15th).

The nestlings, aged between four and 10 days old, are now being hand-reared by teams at the RSPCA's Mallydams Wood wildlife centre.

Mallydams Wildlife Supervisor Jess O’Doherty said:

"The wild pigeons were living on and in the roof of a house that was being cleared. The workmen contacted us for advice when they realised they’d accidentally disturbed some of the nests.

"We advised them to carefully catch and box up the birds, splitting the younger ones from the older ones so that the babies wouldn’t get trampled by the older birds while they were being transported.

"Sadly, one bird had to be put to sleep by vets due to welfare concerns but the rest are doing really well. We’re crop feeding the birds five to six times a day, depending on their size, but it’ll be a few weeks until they’re fully independent.

"Hopefully in around a month they’ll be able to venture out into an aviary where they can build up their strength, work on their flying skills and generally prepare for release."

The birds will remain in RSPCA care until they’re old enough or strong enough to be released back into the wild, near where they were found nesting.