Piebob Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 I was out shooting on a local estate last week and noticed 4 or 5 dead pigeons at the foot of trees throughout the day. The keeper had a theory about them eating too many acorns and becoming ill - I think "poisoned" was his word. It seemed unlikely to me but I certainly wasn't going to argue about it. I didn't get a chance to open any crops to see what they had been eating. I suppose they could have been pricked at some earlier time and died later but the numbers seemed too high for this. Has anyone seen this before? ANy theories? The keeper also said he'd seen more around the estate - they just seemed to have dropped out of the trees. Piebob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 They possibly have been shot and dumped . I've never heard of pigeons becoming poisoned by acorns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elma Fud Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 If pigeons eat too many acorns 'Yes' they can die. Acorns release a toxin called tannin ( I think thats how its spelt) Although rare, deer can die in the same way this is more noticeable after a bumper harvest of acorns then high winds knock the acorns to the ground deer/ birds gorge themselves on the easy meal and pay the ultimate price EF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piebob Posted January 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Thanks Elma Fud - I hadn't heard of that before. It seemed unlikely that they would have just been left / dumped, as they were single dead pigeons at various points around the estate rather than all lying in a heap - I don't think I explained it very well originally. Also, the game dealer takes away all shot game not taken by shooters. Piebob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted January 20, 2005 Report Share Posted January 20, 2005 Yes I have seen it before,on a little shoot,and they died from tricho*&^% (can`t spell it but it`s the same as pheasants get).what happens is they feed on beech mast/acorns and an infected bird cannot swallow properly and coughs them up,and another picks up the now infected food and the cycle continues.If you had looked in the throat/crop you`d see a cheesey kind of lining almost waxey as I remember,and I`d advise that the keeper gets his dogs hunting for any more as it could infect his precious birds(and if you`re having a cock shoot then offer to help too !) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old rooster Posted January 20, 2005 Report Share Posted January 20, 2005 Different thing but way back when I were a lad and we had those really cold winters one of my mates went round the wood picking up pigeons that were literally frozen solid. He took some home and managed to revive a few by warming them up slowly. Weren't arf cold that year !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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