Lucky

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On December 13th, I received this email and picture-

Good Morning,

I have been given your contact info from the SC Wildlife Rehab organization because we are in need of some help. We rescued a young pigeon several months ago that had suffered an attack from a falcon. The pigeon had gotten nailed in the head and damaged its eye and wing. Since then my wife has nurtured it back to health and she seems to be ok. Here's where we have the problem. We are getting ready to move out of the area but "Lucky" seems to think that she belongs with the family. She plays with our cats and carries on as if she is one of them. Luckyhas no interest in flying back with the other pigeons and doves when they come to feed. We will not just turn the bird out because I don't think it would ever survive out in the wild again and would like to find a new home for her. Please find attached a photo of her, hope you can help.

Note: Even friendly contact with cats can be fatal to birds (in a variety of ways, including contracting pasturella). MickaCoo recommends that cats and birds not physically interact.

And that is how I met Lucky and her rescuers George & Saribah. Lucky is indeed extremely lucky because she is functionally blind. She may have some ability to see lightness/darkness or motion in her right eye but, even if she does, her vision is so poor that she walks off of edges and bumps into things in an unfamiliar setting. The hawk strike not only damaged her left eye but, I believe, damaged her head and brain.

Amazingly, she had learned her environment so well that, at home with George & Saribah, she was able to navigate (via feeling surfaces with her feet and following sound I believe) as if she was sighted.

George & Saribah moved out of the US and though they were able to take their cats, they needed a home for Lucky. On January 10th, they brought her to my house and she will be fostered with me until I find the right forever home for her. (I don't want to put her through any unnecessary changes.)

Lucky is young- only about 5 months old and I believe she is a hen. She's a special needs bird and would really benefit from having a mate. She enjoys spending time in the aviary but must be supervised so that she isn't bullied by other birds and I get the feeling that she is lonesome. I'll be posting more about her here as time allows. Please email me at AdoptKings@gmail.com if you know of a wonderful home for this lovely and very lucky pigeon.

5/17/11 UPDATE- Being Lucky: Adopter needed! (Includes lots of new pictures and a video)