July 5, 2025
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Get Ready for the U.K. Pigeon Advocacy Conference

Get Ready for the U.K. Pigeon Advocacy Conference

Guest Post by Susan Joyce, Little Green Pigeon

Happening Saturday 20th September in Staffordshire, England and on Zoom

Little Green Pigeon C.I.C., the National Pigeon Advocacy Association, Advocacy for Pigeons and Shakira Free Miles present

The UK National Pigeon Advocacy Conference

The world’s first event promoting the health and wellbeing of all pigeons aimed at helping rehabbers to help the birds!

This day of education and entertainment is open to everybody who has an interest in caring for town and city pigeons and ex racers, those who rehab pigeons and look after rescue pigeons as pets in their home or wish to start a pigeon sanctuary.

We have a fantastic group of speakers

Richard Saunders: a Veterinary Surgeon who specialises in wildlife and pigeons, talking about how we can approach practices to ask for help with birds, along with care of most common illnesses,

Aneesa Malik: A Registered Veterinary Nurse specialising in wildlife and pigeons talking about first aid and pain management

Shakira Free Miles:  A Registered Veterinary Nurse and animal rights activist talking about how we can help birds as veterinary staff in practice and ethical euthanasia

Sam Crick: an incredible animal rights activist and stringfoot specialist, talking about how to effectively catch and contain pigeons and string-foot care techniques

Jen Beaseley: a wildlife physiotherapist talking about physio and its place in pigeon rehab

Sue Joyce: Founder of Little Green Pigeon C.I.C. and The National Pigeon Advocacy Association, talking about pigeon racing and why and how we need to get it stopped

Kenin Newall: founder of Humane Wildlife Solutions, talking about how to free pigeons trapped in netting within the law

Plus others to be confirmed

We have representatives from international animal rights charities, merch stalls and more!

Food and drink is included in the ticket price

We have two networking sessions to meet and chat to rehabbers from all around the world, then evening entertainment from professional recording artist ‘Vegan Queen V’ and Ornithological Comedy from Dawn Chorus!

Saturday 20th September 2025 in Staffordshire, England.

The conference centre has accomodation information available about their on-site hotel.

The talks can be watched via zoom with a £20 zoom ticket

This is all available on the website

Thank you to our sponsors:

Veganism in Education

Vegan Accountants

Freedom for Animals

Animal Aid

Moose’s Flock

Palomacy Pigeon and Dove Adoptions

Zero Four Six Eight

Instagram page

@ukpigeonconference

 

Thank you

Sue and the Team

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June 13, 2025
by Heather Hohlowski
Comments Off on History of a Pigeon Bromance

History of a Pigeon Bromance

Guest Post by Heather Hohlowski

EVERYTHING BEGAN WITH SUNNY
Sunny was a German Owl pigeon, surrendered to Palomacy in 2022. She and her husband Slim came to us as temporary fosters for about a month.

Slim and Sunny

About five weeks after settling into their new long-term foster home, Sunny was attacked by other pigeons in the aviary and was found in the morning, scalped and huddled in a corner. Unfortunately, pigeons are known to sometimes exhibit aggressive behavior against a member of their flock who appears ill. We believe that’s what happened with Sunny, as her foster mom noticed she had not been herself the afternoon before the attack.

After being treated at Medical Center for Birds (“MCFB”), Sunny spent five weeks as a medical foster with the amazing Cheryl. Sunny then moved back in with us once again. We had a peaceful three months before Sunny began looking a little “hunched.” Suspecting she was egg-bound, I tried providing a steam treatment, to no avail. So the next day, I drove her up to Medical Center for Birds, where an ultrasound showed a large abdominal mass. Surgery revealed it to be what Dr. Speer called a “fossilized egg,” which he removed, along with her uterus.

Left: Sunny exhibiting signs of egg-binding. Right: Sunny receiving steam therapy.

SUNNY MEETS NICK
While recovering at MCFB, Sunny won the heart of Nick, a vet tech, and spent morning rounds happily riding around on his shoulder. Because it was recommended that Sunny no longer live with a male bird (due to the risk that she could potentially lay an egg that would be deposited into her abdominal cavity), we were looking for a new foster home for Sunny. Nick quickly adopted her.

ENTER CHICKEN
Six months later, I was asked to babysit a woman’s Palomacy foster bird for a couple of weeks. Like Sunny, he was a German Owl pigeon. His mom brought him to me with his personal nest box and favorite blanket. About two weeks later, Chicken started showing signs of illness – he was lethargic, not really leaving his nest box, and not eating much.

Sunny stands on Nick’s stethoscope until he agrees to take her home

The handsome Chicken scopes out my aviary

You can guess what happens next – that’s right, I made another trip to Medical Center for Birds, and after a check-up and some bloodwork, it turned out he had psitticosis, a disease caused by the bacteria Chlamydia psittaci. While Chicken was receiving treatment at MCFB, he met Sunny. It was a love connection, and Chicken was adopted! Nick, of course, kept a close eye on the couple, making sure there were never any signs of mating, which, as mentioned, Sunny needed to avoid. But Sunny had no interest and made her feelings known about the subject; Chicken remained a perfect gentleman.

A PIGEON NAMED RIGOR MORTIS?
Last year, Sunny passed away, leaving Chicken widowed and heartbroken. A few months passed. Then one day, a woman named Kathryn was at an appointment at Medical Center for Birds and stopped to chat with Nick about pigeons. That’s when Kathryn heard about the lonesome Chicken, and Nick learned about her rescued single-man pigeon, Rigor Mortis.

Kathryn had rescued Mr. Mortis from a person who had posted about rehoming him. She saw his living conditions and knew she needed to help. Of course, I had to ask Kathryn about his unusual name, and here’s the story: “I was talking with my family one day about what happens scientifically to your body when you pass away. I made the offhanded remark that “rigor mortis” would be a morbidly funny name for my rescued pigeon. And it stuck!”

Mr. Mortis was featured in Palomacy’s 2025 wall calendar!

After chatting, Kathryn and Nick decided to try some pHarmony, and Kathryn brought Chicken home for a playdate with Rigor Mortis. Mr. Mortis had never had another mate before meeting Chicken. But suddenly, a solid bromance was born. Though they prefer to have their own cages, they are best buds and love to hang out together.

Best buddies

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2025 Pigeon Appreciation Art Contest Results!

June 13, 2025 by Heather Hohlowski


WOW! We are blown away by the talent and creativity of Palomacy supporters. We received so many amazing entries to our Art Fundraiser celebrating Pigeon Appreciation Day. Our donor’s offers was $25 per entry, up to a total of $1,000, which meant we needed 40 entries to receive the entire amount. We tripled that — 120 submissions from 70 artists from around the world. In addition to 21 states in the U.S., submissions came from eight countries: Japan, India, France, Germany, Canada, Austria, Italy, and Spain.

Congratulations to the artists who created our 15 favorite pieces (we couldn’t pick just 10). These entries display more than just artistic talent. They capture different aspects of the strong connection we have with pigeons and doves and their ability to find their way into our hearts. These pieces underscore the many things we share with these birds — from love and friendship to playfulness, resourcefulness, and strength.

Our Favorite 15 Entries

[Note: These are not in any specific order – they are all #1 to us!]

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The entry that we will win a spot on a future Palomacy t-shirt is this one, by McKenna VK, from Santa Barbara, California.

And here are all 120 entries. Thank you to all our wonderful participants — we are so grateful for the work you put into your entries, and for your compassion and love for pigeons and doves.

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This gallery contains 5 photos

June 13, 2025
by Heather Hohlowski
Comments Off on My Man, Twinkie

My Man, Twinkie

Guest Post by Heather Hamilton

Since rescuing my first pigeon in 2019, I have come to realize that pigeons are much like people, in that they each possess their own unique personality – exhibiting likes and dislikes, engaging in habits and hobbies, and developing distinct ways of interacting with the world around them.

Today, I would like to tell you a bit about my most recent rescue, Twinkie.

Twinkie Waits for Cuddles

Twinkie is a feral pigeon who was rescued as a fledgling and brought to an avian vet after being found with a severely splayed leg. A kind soul discovered Twinkie, and valued his life enough to bring him to a place where he would be cared for. Twinkie’s existence is a miracle, as pigeons often find themselves in a blindspot of compassion. Twinkie already beat the odds when his rescuer found the heart to invest time and energy into saving his life.

Soon thereafter, Twinkie was brought to the attention of Palomacy. Twinkie was placed in his first foster home, with a member of the pigeon-rescuing community that cared for him until relocating cross-country. “I adore her. She spent so much time just staring at me and napping, she’s such a special little bird.” (At the time, it was believed Twinkie was a girl. Now, it seems that Twinkie is likely a boy.)

In my four months of caring for Twinkie, I could not agree more – Twinkie is such a special little bird.

First off, Twinkie doesn’t know he’s a pigeon. He wants nothing to do with my other rescue pigeons and would prefer to spend all his time with me. He loves to be held and longingly waits for the next round of cuddles. When I have time for snuggles, he’s always ready. He exudes tiny grunts of pleasure as I pet his head.

Twinkie, Legal Secretary

I am an attorney at a non-profit legal aid organization, and Twinkie is an excellent legal secretary. Because of his splayed leg, he has a special chair designed for his comfort. He is comfortable in this chair or a little bed with a soft blanket underneath him. He will sit next to me, on my desk or on a chair, relaxing and making sure my legal arguments are sound. He only makes a little fuss when he’s gone “the bathroom,” because Twinkie is a classy man. Twinkie is also my only pigeon that isn’t bothered by wearing his pants.

Twinkie’s favorite food is safflower seeds, but they are not very healthy. “You have to eat more than French fries,” I tell him.

I feel grateful to have Twinkie in my life. I am thankful for the opportunity to know him, appreciate him, and care for him.

Twinkie Spends a Lazy Afternoon in Bed

Eventually, Twinkie will likely have his splayed leg amputated. It does not cause him discomfort, but it does on occasion get in the way of his wing. Palomacy will provide the funds for the surgery, to help Twinkie, as they do for countless pigeons and doves that are lucky enough to be loved by the organization and community of pigeon rescuers.

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June 12, 2025
by Heather Hohlowski
Comments Off on 2026 Calendar Contest Starts 7/1

2026 Calendar Contest Starts 7/1

Mark your calendars! Get ready to submit lots of pictures! Palomacy’s 2026 Calendar Photo & Art Fundraiser runs July 1st through the 31st.

Your photo entries and votes support Palomacy and our culture-changing work. We appreciate your help celebrating these incredible, under-appreciated birds every day of the year! We know how special pigeons and doves are and we are showing the world!

Submit your best photos ($1/entry) and share with family and friends and ask them to vote! ($1/vote). All proceeds will help Palomacy to help more birds. You are literally shaping Palomacy’s future with your support.

Wall Calendar

Thirteen carefully selected winning photos will be immortalized in the 2026 Palomacy Wall Calendar. Your bird’s photo will be representing for rescued pigeons and doves in homes and busineses all over the world! Winners will also receive two full-color 2026 calendars and everyone can order them while supplies last.

Virtual Calendar

Our 365 Bird-A-Day calendar will be virtual again this year. Subscriptions will be free and we will post information on how to subscribe during the contest (& the link is here). The top 190 vote-getting entries will be featured in the virtual calendar, and the top 10 vote getters will be allowed to select the date they’d like their photo to appear and get a free wall calendar.

STAY TUNED FOR MORE DETAILS AND LINKS TO THE CONTEST…

 

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June 12, 2025
by Heather Hohlowski
Comments Off on July 16 Is Bonus Day

July 16 Is Bonus Day

Please mark your calendars! GlobalGiving’s 2025 July 16 Bonus Day is just around the corner.

July 16 Bonus Day is a 24-hour crowdfunding campaign designed to celebrate high-dollar donors ($100 or more). Eligible donations between $100 and $1,000 will receive a portion of GlobalGiving’s $125,000 Incentive Fund (up to $2,000). The more we raise, the more incentive funds we will receive. There is also $9,000 in bonus prizes for top-performing projects!

The campaign begins July 16, 2025, at 7:00 AM PT and ends July 17, 2025, at 7:00 AM PT.

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June 12, 2025
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Updated Volunteer Opportunities!

Updated Volunteer Opportunities!

We Need YOU!

We need people to help birds. Our volunteers come from all walks of life to generously donate their time and talents to helping pigeons and doves. Some help one day each week, some give one or two hours most days, some help out on specific tasks or projects and others give even more. All are compassionate, motivated, reliable. They know the birds are depending on them. We appreciate all of it! Our volunteer roles offer opportunities for meaningful participation in bird rescue.

The first step to becoming a volunteer is to review our current volunteer opportunities and select your primary interest.

Then, complete our volunteer application OR our foster/adopt application and we’ll connect to discuss the possibilities.

Thank You!

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April 17, 2025
by Heather Hohlowski
Comments Off on Picasso’s Pigeons

Picasso’s Pigeons

Guest Post by Elizabeth G. Macalaster

(Adobe Illustrator AI-Generated Image)

When Pablo Ruiz Picasso was a young boy in Malagá, Spain, all he wanted to do was draw or cut out animals from paper. The only way his parents could convince him to attend school was to let him bring along one of the family’s pet pigeons. While the pigeon walked around his desk and cooed, Pablo drew it over and over — instead of paying attention to his lessons. Pablo also knew that with a treasured pigeon tucked under his jacket, he wouldn’t have to wait even a minute for his father to pick him up when school was done. Then he could get home and back to his drawings.

Pablo’s father, Don José Ruiz Blasco, was an artist and art teacher, and he revered pigeons, which were part of the family, flying freely through the house. Don José was Pablo’s first teacher and showed his son how to draw with precise realism. Pablo drew pigeons and human hands over and over until Don José was satisfied that he could draw accurately. When he was only nine, Pablo began sketching pigeons. He could start anywhere on the bird — its belly, its tail, its wings — and in one continuous line, draw a remarkable likeness.

Though Don José wanted to control his son’s talent and envisioned him becoming a successful academic painter, Pablo had other ideas. And at age 18, in a mark of independence from his father’s influence, Pablo stopped signing his work “Ruiz,” and instead used his mother’s last name — Picasso.

No matter what new medium Picasso explored, it always included pigeons and doves.

Pablo Picasso went on to become one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. While his father had painted scenes exactly as he saw them, Pablo surprised and even shocked the world with his art, daring people to see the world in new ways. He experimented with many different styles and materials to express his ideas. Yet no matter what new medium Picasso explored, it always included pigeons and doves. His bond with these birds had been formed as a boy and it stayed with him his entire life, inspiring his work and bringing him joy.

Picasso had witnessed the atrocities of both the Spanish Civil War and World War II, leading him to join the French Communist Party, becoming a passionate pacifist. In 1949, the artist made a lithograph of a pure white Milanese pigeon that had been given to him by his famous contemporary, Henri Matisse. The World Peace Conference was being held in Paris that year, and Picasso’s pigeon image was chosen for the poster advertising the conference.

Picasso named his daughter Paloma, Spanish for dove.

With that poster, pigeons were no longer just a fond subject for Pablo to paint or draw. His rendering of the Milanese pigeon became universally known as the dove of peace. Picasso created many more variations on this theme for other peace conferences and movements. An iconic symbol of the period, the dove was used frequently in the peace movement and as an emblem of hope during the Cold War. (That same year, 1949, Pablo’s daughter was born, and he named her Paloma, Spanish for dove.)

In 1955, Picasso moved to the South of France to La Californie, a large villa overlooking Cannes. Here, he built a dovecote so he could closely observe the daily activities of his feathered companions. Once, during a break from other work, he painted nine colorful oils of young pigeons perched in and around his Cannes studio. Pigeons and doves remained lifelong muses. In 1962, he designed a colored lithograph of a dove to advertise another peace conference in France; this “Blue Dove” is one of Pablo Picasso’s best-known works, inspiring people around the world.

NOTE: Picasso’s works are copyrighted until 2043 so images of his numerous pigeon paintings and drawings cannot be included in this article. But you can view many of his fabulous pigeon- and dove-themed pieces online here. And don’t miss this lovely 30-second Instagram video.

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April 17, 2025
by Heather Hohlowski
Comments Off on Saving Skye

Saving Skye

Skye, post-op

Skye is a racing Homer pigeon — bred for the so-called “sport” of pigeon racing. These innocent birds are tossed into the sky at 4-5 weeks’ old and many, like Skye, get lost and/or struck by a hawk, hit by a car, and/or starve to death in a field or on a road. It’s possible all of these things befell Skye before his rescuer found him bleeding on the side of the road in mid-February. And, knowing this was an emergency, this Good Samaritan drove 300 miles round trip to bring him to Palomacy’s Care Director, Jill, who gave him fluids, stopped the bleeding, and kept him comfortable overnight.

Skye went straight to Medical Center for Birds (MCFB) in Oakley the next morning. One of his wings was open — with exposed bone — so he was rushed into surgery to close and stabilize the wound. He also had a broken leg, which was splinted. We can’t know how long Skye was sitting there — scared, injured, and in pain — before he was found. We can be fairly certain his owner didn’t bother looking for him.

X-rays of Skye’s wing and leg

Skye was monitored for several days at MCFB before returning to foster care, and we are relieved that he is now on the road to recovery and an eventual adoptive home, where he will be loved and treated with the respect all animals deserve.

Skye, safe in foster care

So many people had a hand in saving Skye. From the kind woman who found him — and chose not to look away — and the Palomacy emergency phone line team who fielded her call, to Jill who stabilized him and got him to the vet, the doctors and vet techs who cared for Skye during his hospital stay, and YOU, our amazing supporters whose donations allow us to rescue so many birds like Skye.

We are so grateful for our kind, compassionate, and generous Palomacy community.

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