[Part 2: Sitting Pigeon-Toed at a Diamond Commode]
Hindenburg will never fly again. His wing never healed correctly (or even remotely at a normal angle). He did eventually calm down and is less freaked out about being around me.
I found myself in a quandary: I went through all the effort, and Hindenburg went through all the terror of ensuring that he’d survive. Now I had a pigeon that would likely live, but could never be released. It seemed cruel to kill him now.
As it happens, there is a very large pigeon community online. Many of them are weirdos. They write posts from the perspective of their birds “I’m pecking at the keyboard and thinking of some tasty millet…”
However, they (both the people online and their literate pigeons) are very helpful and in a few days I was able to find a dude about a mile from my house that has a grounded pigeon. He was looking for a companion for it. Luckily, he didn’t seem to be a weirdo, but he kept misusing the word “feral” when he should have been saying “wild” (ex: “Feral pigeons often land outside my window”). I somehow managed to avoid pointing this out.
When I got to his apartment, I realized that he lets his bird run free in the house. I didn’t notice any bird shit anywhere so I guess he cleaned the place before I got there. This arrangement, of course, would be ideal for Hindenburg –much better than having him confined to a cage.
I handed him my left over seed and grit, took a (blurry) photo, and he promised that he’d update me on Hindenburg’s progress. I haven’t heard anything yet.
Hindenburg below, and his roommate above.
#1 - June 22, 2009 at 07:30 pm
[...] [Part 3: Bye Bye Birdie] May 20, 2009 at 10:11 am — Enlace permanente a esta entrada Categories — Amateur Veterinarian [...]
#2 - June 23, 2009 at 03:13 am
Good work son.
#3 - June 23, 2009 at 05:07 am
nice dude. you should have kept him, injured a couple more birds and started a circus. but, i think this is just as good.
#4 - June 23, 2009 at 04:04 pm
He’s right, actually: pigeons are a non-native species and are the descendants of domestic breeds. They are indeed feral.
#5 - June 24, 2009 at 05:45 pm
I beg to differ.
From Wikipedia (the same article linked in the article): “Nor should ‘feral’ be used to describe a population of a species which although descended from a domesticated population has severed itself from dependence on humans and lived independently in the wild for a long period.”
[Citation from MacDonald D W (editor): The Encyclopedia of Mammals, page 619. ISBN 0-19-920608-2]
#6 - September 29, 2009 at 05:14 pm
Actually, referring to that same article, and looking further down, it is noted that many pigeons are indeed feral, and in fact, wikipedia has an article devoted just to that topic. ;P
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feral_pigeon
But I digress. You are so close to sainthood…now all you have to do is stop punting small animals, and I think you’re a shoe-in for canonization.
Rock on, oh saintly one!