By Gabriela Baron
A pigeon which was believed to be dyed pink for a gender reveal party has died, according to a wildlife rehabilitation center.
New York-based wildlife and education center Wild Bird Fund (WBF) shared on Jan. 31 the photo of the said pigeon, which it named “Flamingo.”
WBF said the “Flamingo” was “deliberately dyed and released.”
Pigeons come in many different colors, but pink isn't one of them. This king pigeon was deliberately dyed and released. As a domestic bird unable to find food in the wild, fly well or escape predators, this poor kid had it bad enough before being dyed.
📷: Phyllis Tseng pic.twitter.com/SnhdIOJsHU
— Wild Bird Fund (@wildbirdfund) January 31, 2023
“Pigeons come in many different colors, but pink isn’t one of them,” WBF said.
“As a domestic bird unable to find food in the wild, fly well or escape predators, this poor kid had it bad enough before being dyed,” it added, noting that it previously tried several methods to remove the dye but was unsuccessful.
Update: After giving our pink guest time to stabilize, our team tried several methods to remove the dye, which we believe is hair dye, with limited success. One problem is that the dye has a strong odor, and we're concerned for the bird's respiratory health.
📷: Alexis Ayala pic.twitter.com/JaBclYgioz
— Wild Bird Fund (@wildbirdfund) February 2, 2023
WBF said the pigeon, rescued in Madison Square Park, was “barely older than a baby and had no survival skills.”
The bird also showed signs of long term malnutrition.”
It also reminded the public to “never release a domestic bird to the wild” as “it will die of starvation or predation.”
“Flamingo” passed away on Feb. 7. WBF said the pigeon’s death was caused by inhaling the toxins from the dye.
We are deeply sad to report that Flamingo, our sweet pink pigeon, has passed away. Despite our best efforts to reduce the fumes coming off the dye, while keeping him calm and stable, he died in the night. We believe his death was caused by inhaling the toxins.
📷: Alexis Ayala pic.twitter.com/218hh6oN8P
— Wild Bird Fund (@wildbirdfund) February 7, 2023
“Dove releases sound romantic, but take away the decorations and Instagram photos, and they are the equivalent of dumping your helpless pets on the side of the road. This is no way to celebrate anything,” it added. -ag
