A wildlife group has said a pink-feathered dove rescued from a New York City park may have been dyed for a sex-reveal party.
The king pigeon was found in Manhattan’s Madison Square Park and placed under protection, the Wild Bird Foundation said.
The group told ABC7 News that the bird may have been dyed pink, rather than the natural color of a dove, to take part in an elaborate gender reveal, a ceremony by which couples discover or reveal the gender of their expected child.
“Doves come in a wide variety of colors and plumage, but pink is not one of them,” the Wild Bird Foundation said. “This is a domestic royal pigeon that was deliberately dyed this color and released.
“This poor bird is bad enough as a domestic bird that can’t find food in the wild, fly well or outrun predators, but the bright, unusual color makes it even more of a target.”
According to the Wild Bird Foundation, the pigeon suffered from long-term malnutrition. The group named the flamingo pigeon after the brightly colored wading birds found in humid habitats in the Caribbean, South America, Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
“PSA: Please never release your pet birds into the wild. Not for weddings, not for funerals, not for celebrations, not for art projects, not for anything,” the Wild Birds Foundation said.
“They will starve or become prey. If you see an all white dove in the wild, or any tame bird standing around looking lost, it needs your help. Please capture the bird and take it to your nearest pigeon rescue or animal shelter.”
According to ornithological website Beauty of Birds, the king pigeon is “regarded as one of the most beautiful of all pigeon breeds.”
Birds are “incredibly charismatic, smart, sweet (and/or cheeky),” says Beauty of Birds. “They love life and want to live.”
Last September, a New Jersey animal rescue charity said it had brought in a group of pink-colored doves and released them for a gender reveal party.
“These domesticated young white pigeons have no idea how to survive in the wild and would have been eaten by predators if not rescued,” said Freedom Farm Animal Rescue.
