Nieve

SF pigeon rescuer and MickaCoo supporter Ivette, struggling with more pigeons needing rescue than she has room for, was relieved to be able to finally release a feral pigeon that she had nursed back to health.

But her relief was short-lived because no sooner than she had set the feral free, then she saw a white bird just standing in the road a block away- nearly getting hit by passing cars.

She thought it might have been a seagull but, when she got close enough, she could see it was a king pigeon (starving and apparently suicidal). The poor bird was so skinny that it couldn't fly (having lost all its breast muscle to starvation).

Ivette caught the poor thing and took her home, despite being already so full (and MickaCoo was too full too). She named the bird Nieve (snow in Spanish) and nursed her back from the edge of death.

When I finally had room to take Nieve in 10 days later, she had gained a lot of weight and strength but was still incredibly weak and skinny at 386 grams.

In the past two weeks, she's gained another 100 grams and can now fly a bit. She is STILL skinny and will need to gain another couple hundred grams before she will be at full weight. (Nieve has a very large frame.)

If it wasn't for Ivette, Nieve would have died that day. King pigeons are domestic and have no survival skills when "set free".

Nieve will soon be available for adoption through MickaCoo Pigeon & Dove Rescue.