A sad update to an alarming story about animal cruelty from last week: Flamingo, the pigeon that was said to have dyed itself pink as part of a stunt to reveal its gender, has passed away.
The Wild Bird Foundation posted on Twitter, “We are deeply saddened to announce that our beautiful pink pigeon, Flamingo, has died.” He died overnight, despite our best efforts to reduce the dye fumes and keep him calm and stable. We believe he died from toxic air inhalation.”
Flamingo, The Pet Royal Pigeon, was discovered in Madison Square Park in Manhattan by a good Samaritan. The bird was brought to the non-profit Forest Bird Foundation because of its poor condition.
Artificial hair dye was used to color the dove completely pink. The prevalent theory is that the bird was painted pink as part of a gender reveal, but it is unclear who did it or why.
“We were all pretty surprised because I don’t think we’ve ever had a pink pigeon come to the clinic,” Antonio Sanchez of the Wild Bird Fund told ABC 7 New York. “We honestly couldn’t believe that someone would do that.”
The pigeon is also thought to have been purchased from the bird market. He lacks the necessary supplies to survive in the wild, so he should never be released.
The group wrote on Twitter, “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.”
The Wild Bird Foundation made every effort to take care of the bird, but they were concerned about the bird’s health. They were unable to get rid of the dye, and the fumes made it hard to breathe.
“We’re concerned about the birds’ respiratory health because the dye has a strong odor,” the team explained. Certain vapors, which are essentially what are contained within the cloud, are extremely sensitizing to birds. Additionally, we are concerned that he will ingest the chemical. His condition is weak, and it’s hard for him to eat.
Flamingo failed to survive despite their best efforts, and he died days later.
The Wild Bird Foundation thanked everyone for their kindness and the numerous helpful suggestions, which it expressed via Twitter. ” The story of the flamingo has stirred up a lot of emotions and piqued interest all over the world. We hope that telling the story of his tragic death will assist in preventing additional reckless cruelty.”
For something as absurd as the swamp reveals, one should use common sense not to paint a bird pink. The Flamingo’s health issues were caused by the toxic color, which the Flamingo was unable to overcome.
However, the group also hopes that its story will remind all people against releasing wild birds. Even without the pink dye, the flamingo could not stay alive and would have died if it hadn’t been found.
The Wild Bird Fund wrote, “Domestic birds, also known as birds raised in captivity, should never be released into the wild.” They will perish from hunger or predation.
This includes customs like releasing pigeons at weddings, which were once common “It’s like putting helpless animals on the road. That kind of celebration is impossible.”
Despite the tragic and senseless death of the flamingo, the story has captivated many, and it is hoped that the public will make the world safer for other birds like her.
The Wild Bird Fund wrote. “Sweet Bird, Rest in Peace.”
Rest in peace, Flamingo; wherever you are, we hope you are at peace now and have returned to your true colors. 🤍
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