Would You Save A Pigeon, Even If It "Doesn't Make A Difference?"

(Justin Lintz)

We applaud those who show compassion towards the fat, feathered, bike-lane blocking disease bags that call our city home, be it the NYPD or a St. Francis stand-in. But saving a wounded pigeon is a Sisyphean effort: there's a good chance it will be euthanized, and there is no shortage of pigeons. "I think it's very nice that someone is willing to take care of these sick animals in the city," Dr. Charles Welcott, a former director of the Cornell Lab of Orinthology tells the Times. "But as a nasty biologist I think it probably doesn't make a difference in the big scheme."

The paper profiles freelance opera singer Jennifer Dudley's efforts to save injured and ill pigeons, tucking them into her bag until they can be examined at the Wild Bird Fund. Dudley, a member of the New York City Pigeon Rescue Central, says that around 20 pigeons are rescued a month. "Lots of us see how pigeons are maligned and ignored. If you have that thread running through you, you know what it's like," she says. If you're Mike Tyson, that means punching someone in the face for the birds.

This is their connection with nature," Dr. Welcott says of the pigeon rescuers. "And I think that's totally laudable." Not to mention it's a favor the pigeon will never forget.

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By Christopher Robbins in News on February 5, 2012 12:50 PM

Comments [rss]

jonathan blair

Pigeons are great, and the old lady a beaut.

CityFace

There is also no shortage of humans.

dogbertt

And why do old women need to feed pigeons?

Is there a pigeon food shortage? Are they starving?

dogbertt

How does one "freelance" opera singing?

RobertMosesSupposesErroneously

Can the title "nasty biologist" be a recurring character?

TheRealCannibal

I have saved a pigeon. I was rewarded with an apartment covered in pigeon shit and angry roomates. I don't advise it. Let go and let god.

69Reality69

Love birds....treasure old people....

.....am fully in favor of death camps for all pigeons and the old bastards who feed them.

estragon_nyc

I don't think it's about making a difference in the pigeon population, but about a feeling that we're always at risk of becoming more callous and desensitized to the suffering of other living creatures -- fellow humans included -- and this kind of thing is a tiny gesture at fighting back against that feeling. It's not whether or not it makes a difference for pigeonkind but whether it helps a person feel slightly more human, right?

I may consider pigeons basically rats with wings...but there are also people who adore and take care of rats. For my part I always avoid stepping on cockroaches, and have even been known to push them out of the way of other footsteps. I'm not adding to the cockroach population in any measurable way, but I can walk away knowing I noticed another living creature.

D.B

I wonder if you'd feel the same after one of them (Or ten) dumped a torrent of shit on you as you passed by ? How would you feel if say you were walking with a friend and out of nowhere a big gooey plop of white,green,grayish-yellow shit hit you in the face ! I wonder if you'd still have compassion for these nasty shit- bombers .

estragon_nyc

You know what would be great? If you'd read the part of my comment where I described pigeons as "basically rats with wings."

D.B

My focus was on the central theme of the comment . Now if that wasn't it and you were being sarcastic then I own you an apology .(UR WORDS)>>> " but about a feeling that we're always at risk of becoming more callous and desensitized to the suffering of other living creatures -- fellow humans included -- and this kind of thing is a tiny gesture at fighting back against that feeling. It's not whether or not it makes a difference for pigeonkind but whether it helps a person feel slightly more human, right?" Gave me the impression that you cared so I reacted accordingly .

estragon_nyc

I wasn't being sarcastic, but I was saying that while I don't feel the same way about pigeons, I kind of understand why these people are doing this. Trying to understand people you don't agree with is an amazing thing. More Gothamist commenters should try it!