Imprint birds

What is an imprint bird

Imprint birds are squabs that were raised by humans without any other birds around.

When doves and pigeons hatch, they learn the necessary social skills during their first weeks of life.
This is why it is very important that birds are raised in groups, preferably at least three individuals.

Note that the group can be composed of young or adult birds of varying ages.

Sibling imprints

Two squab siblings raised together by a human will imprint on the human and on each other.
In most cases, they will lack social skills with other birds except their sibling. This means it is usually best to keep them together only, rather than introducing them to other birds.

Full imprints

Baby birds raised entirely alone by a human can become full imprints.
They may lack the skills necessary to interact safely with other birds.

⚠️ Note

If you found a baby dove or pigeon that was already a few weeks old or already a fledgling, it may not become an imprint.

Is your bird an imprint ?

Some people who kept a baby bird alone for a long time may wonder if their bird became an imprint.
Here are some common situations lone bird keepers may encounter:

1. I rescued a baby dove/pigeon that was about 3 weeks old. It has been raised alone ever since.

Your dove will likely not be an imprint, as three weeks is usually long enough for most birds to learn basic social skills if they were raised by other birds before.

2. I bought an adult dove/pigeon but have kept it alone for several years. It is now very close to me and behaves as if it were human. Can I get it another bird companion?

As in the previous situation, your bird learned its necessary social skills earlier in life and does not lose them simply by living with a human.

However, before introducing another bird you should consider several factors, such as ensuring your pet has not developed hormonal issues or built up frustration.

Also note that even without these issues, your birds may simply take longer to get used to each other.

3. I rescued two baby doves/pigeons and raised them myself. Are they imprints? Can they join a flock?

Two siblings raised together will likely share similar behavior.
Since they were raised together, they most likely imprinted on both you and each other.

They could potentially join a flock, although it is often best to keep them together if they display typical imprint behavioral issues.

Behavioral issues of imprints

There are several issues that can appear in imprint birds.

Imprints may not perceive themselves as birds and therefore may not understand the body language of other birds.

Because of this, introducing them to other birds can be similar to trying to make two very different species coexist, which can lead to misunderstandings and conflict.

Aggressivity

Directly linked to the previous point, imprint birds may develop aggression towards other birds.

This should not be taken lightly, as such aggression can sometimes be dangerous or even fatal.

Because of this, imprints that lack too many social skills may need to be kept alone for their entire life.

What can be done

There are different levels of imprinting. Some birds can be rehabilitated, while others cannot.

Getting another bird: is it a good idea?

If you have little experience or have only kept a single imprint bird, getting another bird companion may not be a good idea.

Even though doves and pigeons are highly social birds that normally need to live in pairs or groups, imprints are an exception.

Tips for keeping a lone bird

Keeping a lone dove or pigeon can be more demanding than keeping a pair, but it does not necessarily mean your bird will be unhappy.

You will simply need to ensure that its needs are properly met:

appropriate habitat
enrichment
regular human interaction

Rehabilitation

If you still want to try to find your imprint a companion, introductions must be extremely slow and carefully monitored.

⚠️ Important

Some imprint birds cannot be rehabilitated.
If the imprint repeatedly attacks the other bird, stop the introduction process immediately.