the wild pigeons of Salisbury beach part 55

* The above photos show Craow Dum at one month old and now, at 6 months old.

I took Craow Dum to the avian surgeon yesterday.

He was "the talk of the town".

All the vets in the office came in the operatory to take a look at Craow Dum with his horrific missing beak. "Can he eat?" "Did he crash into a wall?" "How long has he been like this?" "He is lucky to have you".

I explained to the vet how and what he eats (50/50 dove seed and Harrison's pellets) filled to the top of the bowl. He tilts his head to the side to eat. Also his daily hygiene regiment of twice weekly baths, daily foot washes and daily face washes (booger and debris removal)

He appeared overall to be in good health. The beak, however, was fractured off to expose bare bone. Also his tongue was exposed but there was no sign of apparent infection. The tip of his beak had been crumbling off since day one. It broke off completely while he was just grooming his feathers.

The big question is, and has been, "why and how did this happen?".

I suggested and queried that I thought it was pigeon pox contracted when he was born but he did not show any other signs of the pox on any other part of his body.

Although it was a rather expensive test the vet suggested sending the fractured beak tip off for a complete histology evaluation. This would determine if the bone was eaten by pox, cancer, fungus or bacteria. And of course, nothing may show up which means it was necrotic from an accident.

The main reason for submitting to the test is to make sure nothing is pathological that is spreading to the bone further in his skull. Nothing so far, appears to be inflammatory or infectious. I am doing everything "right" so far by keeping him clean, groomed, well fed and healthy.

I will find out the in-depth results from the culture in about 3 weeks.