A BANKIE is nursing a baby pigeon back to health after rescuing the abandoned bird from the canalside.

Maggie Barclay posted on Facebook asking for welfare advice after she found the squab in Old Kilpatrick. She feared the bird would die and so she decided to take it home.

Last week, Maggie told the Post the baby pigeon is doing well and continues to be cared for at her home.

She said: “His mum would never have come back as there were too many people, dogs, and cars about the day we found him. It was so cold that night so he would have froze.

“I have done this before but never been as lucky as they never survived. God is looking down on this wee one.

Read more: Covid-19 deaths in West Dunbartonshire drop to below 5

“I am just making sure he is warm and getting enough food. He would never have survived if my husband and myself had left him because there were too many dogs, people and cars walking past him.”

In response, Mike Flynn, Scottish SPCA chief superintendent, said: “Our policy is to never put any healthy animal to sleep, and we are proud of it. Every year we care for hundreds of baby birds at our National Wildlife Rescue Centre and they require specialist, round-the-clock care. We look after them and prepare them to be released successfully back in to the wild.

“We would urge the person caring for this baby pigeon to contact us so we can make sure the bird gets the care it will desperately need and give it the best possible chance of thriving in the wild.

“If anyone finds a baby bird we would advise them to check our website for advice to avoid calling when the bird is not in need of help.

“In a lot of cases the bird is just going through the natural process of learning to fly and growing in to an adult.

“If they don’t find what they need there then we would urge them to call our animal helpline on 03000 999 999.”