A baby pigeon is called a squab, and its diet is one of the most unusual in the bird world. Unlike most other hatchlings that receive regurgitated insects or seeds, the squab is entirely dependent on a unique, self-produced food source. This specialized nutrition is essential for the rapid growth rate of the young bird.
The Unique Role of Crop Milk
The initial food source for a squab is crop milk, which is synthesized in the crop of both the male and female parent birds. This production is controlled by the hormone prolactin, the same hormone involved in lactation in mammals. Crop milk is a holocrine secretion, where cells lining the crop detach, forming a nutrient-dense, curd-like suspension that is regurgitated to the young birds.
Crop milk is not a dairy product but is highly nutritious, containing high levels of protein (often exceeding 50%) and fat (over 30%). This provides the concentrated energy necessary for the squab’s development during its first week of life. It also contains antioxidants, immune-enhancing factors, and IgA antibodies that help establish the squab’s immune system. Parents feed the squabs by pumping the crop milk directly into their beaks.
Transitioning to Seeds and Grains
The squab’s diet shifts rapidly from pure crop milk to a more adult-like composition. For the first five to seven days after hatching, squabs are fed exclusively on crop milk. After this period, the parents begin to introduce a gradual mixture of crop milk and partially digested seeds or grains.
This mixing process allows the young bird’s digestive system to adapt to more complex foods. By the end of the second week (around 10 to 14 days), parents transition the squab completely to a diet of regurgitated adult food that has been softened in the parent’s crop. The young pigeon also requires grit, which it ingests to help the muscular gizzard grind the hard seeds. Although the squab may begin to pick at seeds independently around three weeks of age, parents continue feeding their offspring until they are fully weaned, typically between 25 and 35 days old.
Safety and Care for Found Squabs
Finding a squab requires immediate action to ensure its safety. The first step is to provide warmth, as young squabs cannot regulate their body temperature; a heating pad set on low or a similar safe heat source is necessary. The specialized method of parental feeding makes human intervention difficult.
Attempting to feed a squab with a syringe or dropper carries a substantial risk of aspiration pneumonia, which is often fatal, because the trachea opening is located at the base of the tongue. Due to complex nutritional needs and the specialized feeding technique, do-it-yourself feeding is ill-advised. If a squab is found, it must not be given water or food, including peas or bird seed. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or an avian veterinarian immediately, as these professionals possess the specialized formulas and equipment necessary to successfully hand-rear a baby pigeon.