The Great Pigeon Relay
May 18, 2021 8:37 PM Subscribe
"Just having a normal one. Stuck in traffic with a pigeon in my car." This is how Passenger, an injured pigeon from Baltimore, was introduced to the internet. A few days later, after the thread went viral, five strangers drove a 600-mile relay to bring Passenger to the Ramsey Loft for rehabilitation and eventual adoption.
More information, updates and pictures of Passenger's progress can be found in the links below.
April 27th: Just having a normal one. Stuck in traffic with a pigeon in my car.
April 28th: Last night, some one from Maryland got in touch with me about a Pigeon with a possible head injury. They’re trying to arrange a transport chain.
April 29th: I didn’t take any photos of them this morning because (and this is good news), they now have the energy to dislike me!
April 30th: New rescue will be leaving Maryland shortly.
May 1st: Passenger's intake notes upon arrival at the Ramsey Loft.
May 1st: Passenger has eaten food and drunk water. [...] Thank you all so much for your loving concern for this bird. <3
May 1st: As of this morning, Passenger is bright and alert.
May 1st: Video of Passenger on arrival day
May 2nd: Passenger ate more yesterday than they did on arrival.
May 4th: Passenger is developing an appetite.
May 5th: Passenger is a LOT more alert today!
May 6th: They’re more alert today, but the stress huddle when I get too close and stay there too long is really pronounced.
May 7th: He’s actually eating in front of me today!
May 8th: Passenger is back to their usual wariness today.
May 11th: Passenger is a little more steady on his feet.
May 13th: Passenger has regained enough muscle mass to put up a MIGHTY fight!
May 14th: The results of increasing Passenger’s feed yesterday. [Warning: Pigeon poop]
May 17th: Passenger has regained enough muscle mass to nearly bruise me with a good wingbox! [Warning: Pigeon poop]
Want to know more about pigeons? These FAQs from Palomacy, a pigeon rescue group in California, have you covered.
What to Do if a Pigeon (or Dove) Needs Help
How do I catch a pigeon in need of rescue?
You’ve rescued a pigeon. Now what?
If you're interested in pigeon rescue, the Ramsey Loft is coordinating a discord for how to start or get involved with small scale rescue.
Or perhaps you'd like to spend a little time relaxing with a flock of pigeons?
Ramsey estimates that the bird is only around 6 months old, meaning it could have as many as 15 more years to live.Hate of pigeons didn’t start until the 20th Century. Before that was about 9,900 years of loving them.
“He’s going to be evaluated as he heals. And when he is as healed as he is going to be, we will move him out to the loft and see how he handles being around other pigeons,” she said. “We’re going to find him a home. And he’s going to be here for as long as that takes.”
More information, updates and pictures of Passenger's progress can be found in the links below.
April 27th: Just having a normal one. Stuck in traffic with a pigeon in my car.
April 28th: Last night, some one from Maryland got in touch with me about a Pigeon with a possible head injury. They’re trying to arrange a transport chain.
April 29th: I didn’t take any photos of them this morning because (and this is good news), they now have the energy to dislike me!
April 30th: New rescue will be leaving Maryland shortly.
May 1st: Passenger's intake notes upon arrival at the Ramsey Loft.
May 1st: Passenger has eaten food and drunk water. [...] Thank you all so much for your loving concern for this bird. <3
May 1st: As of this morning, Passenger is bright and alert.
May 1st: Video of Passenger on arrival day
May 2nd: Passenger ate more yesterday than they did on arrival.
May 4th: Passenger is developing an appetite.
May 5th: Passenger is a LOT more alert today!
May 6th: They’re more alert today, but the stress huddle when I get too close and stay there too long is really pronounced.
May 7th: He’s actually eating in front of me today!
May 8th: Passenger is back to their usual wariness today.
May 11th: Passenger is a little more steady on his feet.
May 13th: Passenger has regained enough muscle mass to put up a MIGHTY fight!
May 14th: The results of increasing Passenger’s feed yesterday. [Warning: Pigeon poop]
May 17th: Passenger has regained enough muscle mass to nearly bruise me with a good wingbox! [Warning: Pigeon poop]
Want to know more about pigeons? These FAQs from Palomacy, a pigeon rescue group in California, have you covered.
What to Do if a Pigeon (or Dove) Needs Help
How do I catch a pigeon in need of rescue?
You’ve rescued a pigeon. Now what?
If you're interested in pigeon rescue, the Ramsey Loft is coordinating a discord for how to start or get involved with small scale rescue.
Or perhaps you'd like to spend a little time relaxing with a flock of pigeons?
Not only is Passenger a great name for a pigeon, but so would Tumblr be.
posted by clew at 10:23 PM on May 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by clew at 10:23 PM on May 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
Aaaaaw! I love the birds. I didn't know much about pigeons but eesh, now I'm in love - thanks a lot! :)
posted by esoteric things at 10:46 PM on May 18, 2021
posted by esoteric things at 10:46 PM on May 18, 2021
I wish I learnt about CooTube before the lockdown. It's strange, the ordinary things you miss when they're not stealing your lunch.
posted by adept256 at 1:43 AM on May 19, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by adept256 at 1:43 AM on May 19, 2021 [2 favorites]
I always reblog that Tumblr thread about pigeons. Pigeons deserve better than our bullshit.
Imagine if we all suddenly decided as a species that dogs were dumb and just released all of them, and then a hundred years later kept complaining that these super smart mini-wolves kept stealing our sandwiches and shitting everywhere.
posted by confluency at 5:24 AM on May 19, 2021 [5 favorites]
Imagine if we all suddenly decided as a species that dogs were dumb and just released all of them, and then a hundred years later kept complaining that these super smart mini-wolves kept stealing our sandwiches and shitting everywhere.
posted by confluency at 5:24 AM on May 19, 2021 [5 favorites]
Few things make me happier than a) smart people solving problems competently and b) strangers on the internet collaborating to do nice things together. Plus birbs. Thank you for sharing this!
posted by bowtiesarecool at 7:53 AM on May 19, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by bowtiesarecool at 7:53 AM on May 19, 2021 [4 favorites]
A few years ago I was contacted when someone my niece knew needed to rehome some budgies that were the result of irresponsible breeding. One bonded pair, which I adopted, were disabled and feral: Violet has a wonky wing and Bluebelle is missing half a foot, and both are very small and unsocialized, but are quiet and adore each other.
After about a year Bluebelle developed a scary swelling on one side of her head. Everyone shrugged and called her “a throwaway bird” which broke my heart. A visit to a local vet resulted in a sad diagnosis of likely cancer and stressful daily scenes where I had to catch and medicate the terrified wee bird, barely bigger than my thumb.
Although her head looked bad she seemed too peppy to possibly be terminal so I convinced the vet to get me a referral to Cornell Veterinary College. I drove several hours for her to be seen. The vets declared Bluebelle the tiniest patient they’d ever treated—many of their diagnostic machines simply didn’t work on a creature that small. They could not even aspirate for good cytology. Once again I was told likely cancer, and given a new round of medications.
She did not improve but also didn’t get worse, so I requested a visit with Cornell’s avian ophthalmologic specialist and drove down yet again. The new doctor performed surgery (I was told that there were many anxious students present) and diagnosed a swollen sinus resulting from a blocked duct. He performed a tiny marsupialization to create a drainage route and sent her home once again. No less than three grinning doctors brought her out to me when I picked her up. No cancer, and a problem easily fixed.
Tiny Bluebelle is now six years old; she and her girlfriend brighten our days with their cheerful chatter. I cannot express how satisfying it was to shepherd this tiny, undervalued soul through her crisis. So I very much approve of this story and all its participants.
As Ms. Dickinson said, “hope is the thing with feathers.”
posted by kinnakeet at 4:02 PM on May 19, 2021 [11 favorites]
After about a year Bluebelle developed a scary swelling on one side of her head. Everyone shrugged and called her “a throwaway bird” which broke my heart. A visit to a local vet resulted in a sad diagnosis of likely cancer and stressful daily scenes where I had to catch and medicate the terrified wee bird, barely bigger than my thumb.
Although her head looked bad she seemed too peppy to possibly be terminal so I convinced the vet to get me a referral to Cornell Veterinary College. I drove several hours for her to be seen. The vets declared Bluebelle the tiniest patient they’d ever treated—many of their diagnostic machines simply didn’t work on a creature that small. They could not even aspirate for good cytology. Once again I was told likely cancer, and given a new round of medications.
She did not improve but also didn’t get worse, so I requested a visit with Cornell’s avian ophthalmologic specialist and drove down yet again. The new doctor performed surgery (I was told that there were many anxious students present) and diagnosed a swollen sinus resulting from a blocked duct. He performed a tiny marsupialization to create a drainage route and sent her home once again. No less than three grinning doctors brought her out to me when I picked her up. No cancer, and a problem easily fixed.
Tiny Bluebelle is now six years old; she and her girlfriend brighten our days with their cheerful chatter. I cannot express how satisfying it was to shepherd this tiny, undervalued soul through her crisis. So I very much approve of this story and all its participants.
As Ms. Dickinson said, “hope is the thing with feathers.”
posted by kinnakeet at 4:02 PM on May 19, 2021 [11 favorites]
All the nice peoeple who carried the bird in their cars on the Great Atlantic States Pigeon Relay: the feces were filled with Strongyloides.
Ya'll best take appropriate precautions and prophylactic measures. Larvae can be seen by a simple wet-mount in fluid from a bronchoalveolar lavage.
Very harmful to pregnant, immuno-compromised, or HIV+ people.
posted by ohshenandoah at 4:07 PM on May 21, 2021
Ya'll best take appropriate precautions and prophylactic measures. Larvae can be seen by a simple wet-mount in fluid from a bronchoalveolar lavage.
Very harmful to pregnant, immuno-compromised, or HIV+ people.
posted by ohshenandoah at 4:07 PM on May 21, 2021
The Ramsey Loft notes in another recent post:
posted by vibratory manner of working at 6:04 PM on May 23, 2021
Pigeons do not catch the same species of capillaria, Strongyloides, giardia, and trichomonas that effect mammals.So they should be fine on that count.
posted by vibratory manner of working at 6:04 PM on May 23, 2021
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posted by Sparky Buttons at 8:57 PM on May 18, 2021