Rescues

[den]

I was handed a bronze-wing pigeon today.

It had been shot in the chest by a small caliber weapon.

The wound was open, stinking and granualted, which tells me it was several days old. I'm surprised the bird had survived this long. When the lady found the pigeon it had given up and the ants were attacking. She got off as many as she could and brought it to me. So I pulled the feathers apart, and looked into a chest cavity full of maggots. I've seen some crook things in my time but this beat all of them.


What I saw made me feel ill and angry. For once I was happy to euthanize a bird. What sort or arsehole shoots a native pigeon?

Comments

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

http://www.bagheera.com/inthewild/ext_pigeon.htm -- Some were shot for food, some because they were crop pests, and many were shot for fun. They were the most numerous bird species on earth only 200 years ago.

hawks: http://chicagolandfishing.com/forums/viewtopic.php?topic=6633&forum=16&4&start=0#3"

Makes me wanna barf.

[weyrdbird.livejournal.com]

Yeesh.

If people were forced to eat everything they killed, maybe Dubya wouldn't be so damn eager to start a war with Iraq.

[level-head.livejournal.com]

On the other hand, it may not dissuade Saddam at all.

===|==============/ Level Head

[jim-lane.livejournal.com]

He maintains French-trained chefs at each of his palaces for just such occasions...

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

I crossed paths with a big, gray pigeon yesterday at the train station. Usually, they just scatter off in a gust, but this guy just stood there until he figured out I was going to step down on the stair just above him and he scooted to the railing. Just the railing.

We examined each other for a long couple of minutes. Gorgeous - all dark gray, about the color of a #2 pencil lead with some lighter accents. I left first.

Rats with wings. Suuuuure.

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

THe feral pigeon have displaced the more timid nativies in tows here, but luckily Australia has more bush than urban areas so bronzewings aren't rare. (some photos are at http://www.dovepage.com/species/exotic/bronzewing.html)

They are much faster flyers than your normal pigeon; their only predator is the peregrin falcon.

But they're not as fast as a bogan with a rifle.

[janetmiles.livejournal.com]

Damn, I'm sorry. /me wishes for something GOOD to happen soon, like a rescue that just needs a warm bed and some food before being released, or something.

[kelloggs2066.livejournal.com]

Sorry, Den. :(

Scott

I've shot pigeons a few times...

[ionotter.livejournal.com]

And they were quite tasty, as I recall. They *used* to be known as "squabs" back in the day...

But the point is, I ate them. I didn't just shoot them and let them suffer in agony. My kills are quick and clean as possible, and I will track down any injured animals.

And more than once, I've had something in my sights, only to ask, "Do I *really* want to eat this?" If the answer is no, I don't shoot.