Sorry only just seen this post, any vets ,will or should treat wildlife for free just put the animal in a box and pop it into your local vets, if it is out of hours the best action is to keep it quiet overnight in a box in an outhouse, and take it to vets when open.

However if it is serious and you think it need collecting straight away the RSPCA work 24/7 contact number 0300 1234 999 .

Dont forget as birders we should know what a fledgling is, please try to leave these only, nature is harsh but the parent birds know best, and they will take care of them.

Paul

Quite right too Ian, and that would be the case with any animals including ourselves as alot of injuries are undetectable with the human eye, and not being a qualified professional in the medical field, I wasn't really making a diagnosis more giving John an idea of visible possibilities that could be seen wrong with the bird. That's why I chose my words (normally and usually visible) carefully, and because it was this particular species I thought it worth mentioning the Trichomoniasis even though I did say I wasn't sure if it had bearing on this bird!
Cheers, Rob.

Did you get my PM?

The best advice is to seek the advise of a professional; end of!

Few of us are competent enough to diagnose any bird injury and I have to say that many (including broken bones) may go unnoticed to 'our' eyes. If in doubt, try the RSPCA or a local vet.

Hi John,
What I'm about to tell you may or may not have any bearing on your predicament with this bird as it might depend on area.
Last week at a site near us on the Denton-Stockport border, my brother saw a number of dead Collared Doves due to a disease a site poster said. Yesterday I found out off another birder on here that at the same place in the last couple of weeks, there was an outbreak of Trichomoniasis that led to deaths and subsequently feeding stations, bird tables etc on the site being disinfected.

It's only a thought but if this bird has contracted the disease and it hasn't yet entered the final stage, it could well render the bird helpless to even try to get away from you, only a thought but I would wear gloves before bringing in the house etc.

If it is injured, it will be limping or falling over, if its a wing injury that too is usually obvious, as it will have feathers well out of place or broken, or it will be trailing at the side of the body as it can't lift it due to a broken bone.
The other injuries eg.attack injury, would also be normally easy to see ie. blood, puncture wound etc, UNLESS it has flown into a window, or has been roughed up in an attack and has just been dazed.

These are only initial thoughts so I would wait for any 2nd opinions if you get any other replies.
Cheers
Rob

Thanks Nick, I did see that but I can't take it down to Nantwich. I was prepared to take it in and box it overnight and run it to a local vet in the morning if that was the "approved" approach, but not if it's going to cost me.

It looks full size, but for now I'll leave it alone unless I get any stronger advice. If it doesn't fly away I fear the local fox or a cat will see it off in the night. That's life.

If you look on the main website there's a page dedicated to bird rescue organisations.

Well, I don't think I have the sufficient knowledge to tell you about what to do, but I can suggest to you firstly that the dove could be a juvenile bird who has just fledged, and may be not injured at all. Its parents could be nearby. If this is the case then it is best to leave the bird where it is. However, if it really is in trouble, maybe you should probably send it to a the RSPCA? Probably somebody else could give some more specific advice on what to do.

Sorry if this has been asked before, but have an apparently injured collared dove in the garden. I can pick it up and can't see any obvious broken leg or wing or bite marks, so I don't quite know what to do. I could box it and take to a vet tomorrow I suppose but will the vet want paying? Any suggestions?