Save the Lives of Domestic Pigeons & Doves

Every day, with your support and so many others', Palomacy rescues pigeons and doves: raced pigeons like Amelia; ceremonial "dove release" survivors like Kenny; "mercy release" casualties like Willow. These innocent, helpless birds come to us injured, starved, abandonded. Not all of their fear dissipates immediately but their relief at being helped is palpable. And we are so grateful to be able to provide that help! I know that I am preaching to the choir here and I don't need to make the case for helping pigeons to you but I love Rick Schubert's piece The Case for Pigeons so much that I can't resist sharing it with you. Perhaps there is someone (or someplace) that you'll want to share it with too...

THE CASE FOR PIGEONS

By Rick Schubert, Director Philadelphia Metro Wildlife Center

Reprinted with permission

Why do we bother to rehabilitate non-native wildlife species like pigeons?

The rock dove, or “rodo” as we call it here, or pigeon to most people, is a common patient at the Philadelphia Metro Wildlife Center. Although they’re a highly adaptable and incredibly tough species, they are still brought to us when they’re poisoned, shot, abused, hit by cars, caught by cats, and stuck on glue traps. They’re not native to North America; they were brought here by Europeans and have since proliferated in urban areas throughout the United States.

But you can read about the natural history of pigeons elsewhere…we do not need to reiterate it here. What we are here to talk about is why we love them, why they matter, and why we treat them at our wildlife center.

Wildlife rehabbers do not make a difference in wildlife populations, nor do we try to, any more than a paramedic saving a human life matters to the population of 7.5 billion people on planet Earth, it is infinitesimally negligible. However, to the person whom that paramedic saved, it makes all the difference in the world. You save a life because it needs saving, and because life matters, and because compassion matters. When a person has the compassion to step out of our narcissistic, dehumanized world to help a suffering life form, be it an endangered piping plover or a common rock dove, we are here to affirm and validate that behavior, and hope they teach it and pass it on to their children. As with anything else, including humans, if you look at them in terms of populations and statistics, you get a skewed, partial picture. When you hold a hurt individual in your hands and see in its eyes, you see more into the truth of things.

Oh yes, and we really dig pigeons. They’re here in North America because of humans, it’s not their fault. We can’t un-ring that bell now, we can only learn from our mistakes and try not to repeat them. We caused the extinction of the passenger pigeon a century ago–that’s on us. Then we caused the proliferation of the rock dove–that’s on us too. But when you get to know these birds, and their unique personalities, the endless variation in their individual colors, and most of all their gritty toughness, you cannot help but love and respect them. They remind me most of all of our home town of Philadelphia: scrappy, tough survivors, but with an unexpected beauty, and depth, and complexity. Can you dig it?

Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Adoptions is deeply grateful to Rick Schubert for expressing so well the truth of things and to everyone at the Philadelphia Metro Wildlife Center (PMWC) for all they do to help so many.

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Links:

• The Case for Pigeons by Rick Schubert
• Join our Online Palomacy Help Group
• Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Adoptions

You know that rescued, unreleasable pigeons and doves need (1) people to understand their plight and (2) homes. The more people know the truth about them, the more appreciated they are, so the more homes are created.

Thanks to your very generous support, Palomacy is successfully creating awareness and helping adopters and sanctuaries to appreciate and provide homes for rescued pigeons and doves. Here are three exciting updates about the life-saving, culture-changing difference you make!

Palomacy's 2022 Calendars!

Palomacy's gorgeous desk and wall calendars, displayed in homes and workplaces around the world, show off what we pigeon and dove lovers already know.

Volunteers Heather & Jiuno, investing many hours and their invaluable talents, have captured literally hundreds of amazing moments, producing two incredible, must-have Palomacy calendars to share with you, the curious and the skeptics too. Truly, everybirdy needs both - the glorious 12 month Wall Calendar and the incredible 365-page, Bird-A-Day Desk Calendar!

These unique, high quaity, full color calendars, showcasing original photos and artwork by rescuers, adopters and volunteers from all over the world, will inspire you with amazing stories, heart-warming tributes and beautiful images every day all year long.

Order Palomacy's 12 month Wall Calendar or Bird-A-Day Desk Calendar for $25 each or just $40 for both (plus shipping). They make great gifts and all proceeds support Palomacy.

How to DIY Make an Easy, Safe Pigeon or Dove Aviary

So many beautiful unreleasable pigeons and doves need homes! Palomacy helps adopters and sanctuaries develop homes for hundreds every year and, if the birds are to live outside, they need a big, predator and rodent-proof walk-in aviary. Getting one can be challenging.

Adopters can build their own if they have the skills and tools and choose an appropriate design, hire a builder if they have the budget, seek out something pre-made though it's tough to find one safe and big enough or easily, inexpensively do-it-yourself modify a big outdoor dog kennel with hardware mesh to be a wonderful predator and rodent-proof aviary! (No matter who creates an aviary for pigeons and doves, following these basic bird care guidelines is essential.)

Here's the step-by-step how to DIY make the easiest, most affordable safe pigeon or dove aviary by modifying a large dog kennel just like Palomacy and shelter volunteers did at the Oakland Animal Services (including lots of helpful pictures).

Backstretch Rescue Builds Big, Beautiful Double Aviary!

This is the story of how lots of Palomacy people combined forces to create a big, incredible, beautiful, safe rescue aviary for pigeons and doves! It is 25' long, 16' wide, 14' high and brilliant split down the center to house Ringneck doves on one side and unreleasable pigeons on the other. Everybirdy is safe while having the bonus fun of interesting neighbors.

Backstretch Horse Rescue founders Dennis and Janece were perfect adopters who had the space, skills and desire to create a big aviary. Palomacy has so many birds needing a home... maybe if there was a donor who could pay for the materials, Dennis could build it and we'd all get the aviary we needed!

In April 2021, I went to Backstretch to talk with Dennis about the idea. I brought pigeon racing survivor Miles to assist me. We talked through design ideas, expectations and worked out a mutual agreement. On May 24th, angel funder Marian donated $5,400 for materials and Dennis started aviary building! He worked out the specs, calculated the quantities, ordered all the stuff- mesh, lumber, roofing, hardware. He cleared the ground, set the posts, poured the concrete foundation and built an incredible palace for rescued pigeons and doves.

On July 24th, we began to move 50 doves and 24 pigeons into their forever home - Backstretch's big, amazing aviary! Now all these formerly at-risk birds are living their best possible life! See the full story and lots of inspiring photos here.

GlobalGivers, THANK YOU for powering Palomacy. It couldn't happen without you.

Links:

• Order 2022 Palomacy Calendars Here
• See all the DIY Easy, Safe Kennel to Aviary Story & Pictures
• Don't Miss the Full Backstretch Aviary Story & Pictures