The Nicobar Pigeon

Story by By Sara Barnes

The dodo bird has been long extinct, but it still has relatives living in the world today. Known as the Nicobar pigeon, this rare creature is the closest living connection to the famous flightless bird, although the two don’t look alike. One striking difference is the Nicobar pigeon’s vibrant plumage that shines in iridescent blues, coppers, and greens—in addition to its reddish legs and small white tail. This colorful characteristic developed because of their location; the bird has long been isolated on small islands and lacked natural predators. Because there’s no need to conceal themselves, they were able to develop the brilliant feathers.

The Nicobar pigeon resides in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, from the Indian Nicobar Islands eastward to places like Thailand and Papua New Guinea. Although its exact population count is unclear, the species is in decline because of deforestation and the release of non-native predators (like rats and cats) to these islands. The Nicobar pigeon is now considered “near threatened” with conservation efforts proposed to help the birds thrive again.

See more here: Closest Living Relative to the Dodo Bird

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This City Fair Uses Live Pigeons as Bowling Balls

Animal rights activists and decent human beings around the world are asking for heads to roll after video of a live “pigeon rolling” contest recently went viral.

The Harrow Fair in Essex, Ontario, Canada is more than 155 years old, but it has now caught the ire of the public for one of their most popular events. The “pigeon rolling” contest is a “game” in which people attempt to roll a live pigeon across the ground. The person who’s pigeon rolls the farthest wins.

In the video, a kid donning a tie-dye T-shirt, shorts and glasses, walks up to a green box and pulls out a white pigeon in his hand. He then takes a few steps to the starting line and winds up and then rolls the poor bird across the grass as if it were a bowling ball. Next, to the contestant a woman with a clipboard jots down notes, presumedly scoring the young boys throw. The pigeon rolls over several times, flapping its wings and then comes to a stop and stands up properly looking utterly confused. In the background, you can hear the oohs and awes of the onlooking crowd.

One of those onlookers was a woman named Jo Bloom who was so disturbed by the event that she took the video in question and uploaded it online in protest. She called the spectacle “absolutely horrific” and showing “blatant disrespect and cruelty for animals.”

After hearing pushback, the fair organizers have defended the sport saying that the birds are roller pigeons and roll naturally. They further explain that the event simply showcases their natural ability. Roller pigeons do indeed roll, but they do so in the air when they want to, not when they are rolled across the hard ground by a person.

Their defense of the pigeon rolling contest is baseless, to say the least, and tells us just how far a community that abuses animals in the name of tradition will go to defend it.

Sadly, organizers seem to be more resolute than ever that the “show must go on” and likely plan to continue the contest next year. That is unless we can convince them and the town of Essex otherwise.

Please sign the petition and tell the Harrow Fair Board and the Mayor and Council of Essex to ban pigeon rolling contests now.

https://www.thepetitionsite.com/749/486/874/this-city-fair-uses-live-pigeons-as-bowling-balls/

No More Killing Innocent Birds: Stop Pigeon Shoots: Petition

Sponsor: The Rainforest Site

Pennsylvania is the only state left that allows this horrible practice.

Pigeon shoots have been banned in every part of the country except for the state of Pennsylvania, so call on the President of the Pennsylvania State Senate, Floor Leaders, the Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and the Pennsylvania State Governor to end the barbaric ‘tradition’ of pigeon shoots! It is inherent cruelty of shooting live, captured birds for sport, and this practice needs to end!

Today, Pennsylvania is the only remaining state that allows the practice to continue. In 2014, a bill to end pigeon shoots in Pennsylvania was allowed to expire after the NRA stepped in at the 11th hour with some heavy-handed lobbying [3] which put animal cruelty above that of animal rights.

Not only are 75% [4] of people in the state are in favor of a law that would ban the ‘sport,’ but 83% [4] of people said that it was an unnecessary form of animal cruelty, and not a tradition that should be preserved.

These shooting events consist of putting pigeons inside of a box, and then when a shooter calls out, the pigeon is either released, or launched from the box. The shooter then tries to hit the bird in the air to have it drop on a target on the ground. [1]

According to the Humane Society of the United States: “After each round of shots at the birds, participants — sometimes children — take to the field to collect wounded and dead animals. If the suffering pigeon is still alive, the collector will sometimes snap the animal’s head off or slam her against the ground before tossing the animal into a barrel full of dead and dying pigeons.” [2]

Many of these birds are not even from Pennsylvania. Recently discovered footage of people netting and stealing pigeons in New York City is believed to point to an illegal smuggling ring which transports the birds over state lines to provide the live targets for the merciless shoots. And while pigeons might not be New Yorkers’ favorite animal, the NYPD has stated that removing them from city streets is illegal. [5]

Shooting pigeons for sport used to be practiced world-wide. But as time went on, people realized how cruel it was to trap a pigeon in a box, and then release it for the sole purpose of shooting a moving target. And today, the leadership in the state of Pennsylvania and the NRA are the only ones who want it to continue.

WORKS CITED

[1] Pacelle, W. (2014, June 30). Live Pigeon Shoots: The Shame of Pennsylvania. Retrieved October 9, 2017, from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/wayne-pacelle/live-pigeon-shoots-the-sh_b_5544712.html

[2] Humane Society of the United States. Pennsylvania’s Pigeon Shoots. Retrieved on October 9, 2017, from http://www.sharkonline.org/images/handouts/hsuspigeonhandout.pdf

[3] Worden, A. (2014, October 22). NRA claims 11th hour victory in battle over live pigeon shoots. Retrieved October 9, 2017, from http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/pets/House-battle-over-live-pigeon-shoots-goes-down-to-the-wire-NRA-prevails.html

[4] Mason Dixon-Polling & Research (2013, October 31). Pennsylvania Voters Show Statewide Support for Banning Live Pigeon Shoots. Retrieved October 9, 2017, from http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_releases/2013/10/voters-support-pigeon-shooting-ban-103113.html?credit=web_id85537319

[5] “Man Seen Netting Pigeons, Hauling Them Off From New York City Streets.” CBS New York, newyork.cbslocal.com/2017/02/17/brooklyn-pigeon-netting/

Sign Here : https://therainforestsite.greatergood.com/clicktogive/trs/petition/pa-pigeon-shoots

Pennsylvania Continues To Allow Live Pigeon Shoots

“Pennsylvania is the only state where pigeon shoots are openly and regularly practiced,” said Prescott, a senior vice president of campaigns at The Humane Society of the United States. “Other states may have one a year. When I say other states, they’re very rare.”

Legislation to outlaw pigeon shoots repeatedly has been introduced to the General Assembly since 1987. But it repeatedly has failed to gain the requisite support to prohibit an activity that has nearly vanished elsewhere in the United States.

Pigeon shooting is prohibited by statute in 14 states, including New Jersey, according to The Humane Society. The court systems or attorneys general of another nine states also have opined that the practice is illegal under animal cruelty laws.

Read more here: Pennsylvania Clings To Pigeon Shoots

Pigeons are a fantastic bird. They helped shape forests and other landmasses. By carrying seeds, throughout this continent. They are also natural bug repellents and keep the population under control. Without pigeons crops and other plant life would be destroyed. (Which it has been of late)

We would like to thank Mrs. Robbins for bringing this issue to our attention. We will do everything possible to help end the cruel pigeon shoots.