If his kind are sometimes called “rats of the sky,” you wouldn’t know it by looking at the Liberace of pigeons.
The male bird was discovered on an Arizona property earlier this month wearing a rhinestone vest and taken in by local rescue centre Fallen Feathers. The vest is not just a fashion statement, but a “flight suit” often warn by pet-store variety birds to catch feces when they’re out of their cages.
“A pigeon having one is a little unique,” said Fallen Feathers director Jody Kieran on CTV News Channel.
The bedazzled flare is also unique. Inspired by the getup, Kieran and team have been referring to the bird as Liberace or Rhinestone Cowboy.
Since taking him in, the group spread pictures across social media and they believe they have a “lead” on the whereabouts of the pigeon’s owner. They’re confident that the bird was a pet because of the glamorous vest and the bird’s demeanor. The pigeon sat calmly on Kieran’s shoulder during an interview on CTV News Channel Monday night.
“That’s why we knew this bird should have come from somebody,” said Kieran. “Definitely a love bird.”
Pigeons aren’t often associated with love or cleanliness, but they may be a misunderstood species. “They’re really nice birds,” Kieran said in an interview with the Arizona Republic. “They’re really very tame and they’re actually very smart.”
While there is a substantial industry for racing pigeons across hundreds of kilometres, Kieran believes that the bird hadn’t travelled very far because it is in relatively good shape. On Tuesday, the group plans on meeting with a person they believe may be the owner, who is expected to bring photos of the bird to prove ownership.
Since taking the bird in, the group has made an effort to maintain and continue bedazzling the flight suit. In a Facebook post on Sunday, they shared a photo of a collection of charms and shiny jewelry pieces, noting that they may have to “step down the crystals and go old school bedazzling.” They are accepting donations via Paypal.
