Pink Pigeon Turns Up In Vacaville, Winds Up In Napa Wildlife Rescue

A pigeon with part of its wing dyed a vivid pink was found wandering in Vacaville and brought to Napa Wildlife Rescue last Wednesday. Staff suspect the bird was dyed for a gender reveal celebration and say it has since been placed with a volunteer who keeps a large aviary of other pigeons.

The bird was recovered on June 3 in Vacaville and arrived at the Napa clinic underweight and dehydrated, where staff treated and stabilized it before sending it to a foster volunteer. Rescue operators told the outlet that many pigeons that come through their doors are injured, starved or dehydrated.

Rescue Groups Say Dyeing And Releasing Domestic Birds Is Dangerous

Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Adoptions, a Bay Area nonprofit that rehomes domestic pigeons and doves, is a foster-based rescue that fields frequent calls about lost or injured birds. The Vacaville case, which was publicized last week and picked up by local outlets, highlights what rescuers describe as an ongoing pattern. Jill Shepard of Palomacy told Morning Journal that releasing domestic birds is a death sentence for these birds, and Napa Wildlife Rescue's Linnaea Furlong warned that homemade dyes may cause respiratory and vision problems and that helping a bird recover begins with letting the bird bathe itself. 

How Local Rescues Handle Dyed Birds

Napa Wildlife Rescue posts step-by-step guidance for finders on its website and runs a Hawkline for urgent cases. If you find a sick or injured wild animal in Napa County, the group advises you to call 707-224-4295 for assistance. The rescue's online guidance urges people not to feed or give water to wildlife and explains that releasing tamed animals usually dooms them to predators or starvation, per Napa Wildlife Rescue.

Not An Isolated Problem

Dyed pigeons have been spotted in other parts of the country as well. A pink pigeon found in Manhattan in 2023 was widely believed to have been dyed for a gender reveal, and wildlife groups have repeatedly urged people not to dye or release domestic birds. The Guardian covered the New York case and quoted rescuers encouraging anyone who finds an unusual bird to bring it to a rescue or sanctuary rather than turning it loose.

Rescuers say the best thing neighbors can do is to contain a found bird safely, keep it warm and quiet, and call trained rehabilitators for instructions. In Napa County, that means dialing 707-224-4295. For more resources on domestic pigeon rescues and what to do if you find a dyed bird, see Napa Wildlife Rescue and Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Adoptions.