Clifford's Big Red Coop

Clifford's Big Red Coop Small Pittsburgh-based pigeon rehab & rescue. Currently self-funded, but we hope to register as a nonprofit one day! Interested in adopting one of our pigeons?

Please message or email us.

Ever wanted a haunted Victorian child in the body of a pigeon? Meet Gem, or “Miss Gemini Rickets”, as we’ve fondly nickn...
07/24/2026

Ever wanted a haunted Victorian child in the body of a pigeon? Meet Gem, or “Miss Gemini Rickets”, as we’ve fondly nicknamed her. We found this young fledgling on the side of the road by an underpass, unable to stand. Initially, we thought she may be injured, but after a thorough inspection, we came to the conclusion that she had rickets: perhaps the most Victorian era condition you can have! Rickets is a childhood condition that spans species. In very simple terms, it is a disease that causes bone weakness, typically because of a dietary deficiency of calcium and/or vitamin D. The treatment was straightforward: correcting the dietary deficiency and hydrotherapy to strengthen the weak legs.

After a month of rehabilitation, this cute girl is not only walking on her own, but flying too! It amazes me how quickly pigeons can bounce back - this pigeon went from unable to grasp with her feet at all to walking within two weeks. It actually took longer to get her to eat on her own than to walk again!

Gem has no long term health permanent effects from having had childhood rickets. She is still a bit lighter of an eater than most pigeons, so I would recommend giving her more high calorie treats to tempt her into maintaining a healthy weight - besides, she deserves it! She was very used to being handled as a young bird thanks to the multiple times a day she needed PT and feedings. Though she’s started to go through “cooberty” and is quite angsty at the moment, which is normal for fledglings. She still loves ear hole and cere pets if you can get past her teenage angst. Her coo currently sounds like a dog’s squeaky toy! She loves to perch on weird objects, as you can see in her photos. Gem is estimated to be approximately 3 to 4 months old, and has not had her s*x confirmed. I merely took a guess off vibes!

Please feel free to DM me with any questions, whether it be about Gem or pigeons as pets in general. I am located on the south side of Pittsburgh, and I am willing to drive up to ~2 hours to meet with potential adoptees. As she is not yet an adult, she is not able to be shipped and therefore adopters must be able to get her in person.

Meet Cheeseburger, who ended up less like a Big Mac and more like a value meal in terms of size. While this pigeon is pe...
11/03/2025

Meet Cheeseburger, who ended up less like a Big Mac and more like a value meal in terms of size. While this pigeon is perfectly healthy, she's come to be only 250 grams in size -- the typical feral pigeon in Pittsburgh usually weighs more in the 300-350 gram range! This tiny girl was found by Good Samaritans on the sidewalks downtown, unable to fly and covered in yellow baby fuzz. Despite her age, she figured out how to eat on her own right away, despite that most pigeons her age would still be mostly getting crop milk from their parents. She has a feisty spirit to match, and we joke that she "knows karate" because from the moment we brought her home, she was happy to slap us with her wing for invading her personal space. She might take more patience to bond with, or she'd do well in a home with other pigeons, as she has done well in a flock environment with our own pet pigeons and other fosters. She is estimated to be around 3 months old right now (pigeons are considered to be fully adults by 6 months). She adores perching on her Snorlax plushie, which will go with her to her new home.

I have a soft spot for ex-feral juveniles like Cheeseburger, as my beloved pet Clifford was a feral fledgling I found huddled up against my office building, inspiring me to rescue and rehab other pigeons in need. Despite his humble background, he's made the most wonderful pet, and I believe that Cheeseburger could definitely open up to someone who has more time to give her one on one attention. With all the birds I take care of, I don't have the time I'd like to work with the more shy birds that come through!

Please feel free to DM me with any questions, whether it be about Cheeseburger or pigeons as pets in general. They've been gaining popularity thanks to social media lately, and rightfully so! We are located in Pittsburgh, PA on the south side of the city.

French Fry is a sassy little fledgling who has finally gotten old enough to start looking for his forever home! This lit...
10/18/2025

French Fry is a sassy little fledgling who has finally gotten old enough to start looking for his forever home! This little guy was pushed out of the nest in downtown Pittsburgh too early. He needed a little extra attention and tube feedings before he figured out how to feed himself. When he was a baby, he used to LOVE getting pets around his ear holes. Now that he's a teenager, he's much too angsty to get fussed over - something that isn't uncommon for pigeons going through "cooberty". Hopefully, with a little time and one-on-one attention, he'll go back to being a cuddly pigeon!

Here at Clifford's Big Red Coop, we focus on juvenile pigeons and racers/fancy pigeons - the ones that have the best chance of doing well in a home! Pigeons live much longer, happier lives in houses than they do out on the streets. While French Fry was originally a feral pigeon, he's gotten quite used to being in a comfy home with plenty of seed and toys to play with. Pigeons have been domesticated for thousands of years, which means that they're predisposed to liking humans! They make wonderful pets, and are much quieter and gentler than many parrots with their coos and beaks meant for picking up and swallowing seeds whole. (Though we love parrots too!)

French Fry is suspected to be male, but it can be very difficult to s*x juveniles without a DNA test, and it is merely a guess.

We are happy to provide guidance to any first-time bird owners. We operate on a pay-what-you-want adoption fee model. We are located in Pittsburgh, PA - French Fry is not quite old enough to ship yet, but we do offer shipping for adult birds at the adopter's expense for those who are out of state. We are willing to drive up to two hours to meet any adopters.

Meet Pierre, a brave pigeon who had to have his right leg amputated after getting stuck in a bird feeder when he was onl...
09/24/2025

Meet Pierre, a brave pigeon who had to have his right leg amputated after getting stuck in a bird feeder when he was only a fledgling. He is well-recovered enough from his surgery that we can start finding a home for him! Although he only has one leg, he has a ton of personality. This sassy little guy has the funniest coos, and adores every single toy we've ever given him.

Pierre will need certain accommodations in his life to make things easier for him. I will happily talk to any interested adopters in what he needs, but primarily, he needs a completely flat cage (he is currently housed in an XL dog crate) and regular cleanings to make sure his stump stays clean. He needs to be allowed to exercise daily to prevent him from becoming overweight and putting more strain on his remaining leg. He is a good candidate for a prothesis since he does have some part of his right leg remaining, however, he gets around well without one. If it's something you're interested in trying for him one day, I am happy to share what resources I have.

He is only suspected to be male, but I am happy to do a DNA test to confirm upon request.

If you're interested in this very special little guy, please DM us!

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Pittsburgh, PA

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