Violet

Violet is a strikingly beautiful, gentle, petite Birmingham Roller who is trying really hard to recover from a devastating injury. She was taken to WildCare in January, unable to walk or stand. She still cannot unless she is flapping her wings to generate lift. Her legs aren’t paralyzed but they lack the strength and control she needs. Her WildCare report states, “Came to WildCare on January 17^th, found in El Sobrante, unable to stand with no deep pain response in either leg and a deep  laceration along her keel along with multiple puncture wounds – we assume caught by a hawk based on this presentation. Through physical therapy, anti-inflammatory and pain meds, was able to stand, with pain reponse in both legs, wounds all healed, but with lasting spinal and probably nerve damage. Physical therapy included active and passive range of motion along with a sling during the day. She was always calm and began eating on her own once she got the sling in early February. By mid February she had plateaued, standing but wobbly. So was removed from WC and sent to Palomacy.”

Violet flaps her wings in order to stand & to walk

Roller pigeons are tragically selectively inbred for the genetic inclination to flip backwards in flight. They inordinately suffer injuries and death from “roll downs” and raptor strikes. Roller Pigeons are used in competitions and their performances are judged. The “Ariel Standard” from Lewis Wright’s book titled The Practical Pigeon Keeper states, “the true Birmingham Roller turns over backwards with inconceivable rapidity through a considerable distance like a spinning ball.”

Fanciers consider the rolling beautiful but how anyone can enjoy a hobby that so endangers the birds? This news article excerpt is telling.

Four Inland men are among suspects accused of killing raptors to protect pigeons.
Thursday, May 24, 2007

By JENNIFER BOWLES, SANDRA STOKLEY and IMRAN GHORI
The Press-Enterprise

Seven Southern California men, including four from the Inland region, were arrested Wednesday on suspicion of killing scores of red-tailed hawks and other raptors that prey on the pigeons they breed for aerial acrobatic competition. The men have been charged with violating the federal Migratory Bird Act, which protects raptors. Each misdemeanor count carries a maximum sentence of six months in federal prison. Brian McCormick, 40, of Norco, denied the charges Thursday and said he was “extremely shocked” when federal agents showed up on his doorstep at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday. He said that while hawks and falcons cause “devastating losses” to enthusiasts who breed and raise champion birds, he would never kill them. A breeding pair of roller pigeons that perform backward somersaults while in flight can fetch $300 to $500, he said. “For me the loss is emotional,” McCormick said. “I raise 100 birds to make a team and half of them are eaten by birds of prey. It’s heartbreaking.”

Heartbreaking indeed.

Violet was extremely lucky, when she was injured in January, most likely from a “roll down” collision into the ground, to be found and taken to WildCare. They cared for her for a month in the hopes that she could recover the use of her legs and be transferred to the Marin Humane Society for adoption.

Despite all their resources and best efforts, she made little progress. She clearly wanted to live- she ate and preened and paid close attention to all the happenings around her- but she couldn’t stand up. She was unadoptable and would be euthanized if transferred to the shelter. In February, when she had to have a placement, WildCare RVT Nat reached out to Palomacy on her behalf to ask if we could take her on to our caseload. Nat knew we were full and offered to foster her for us. We said yes.

Nat & Violet

Nat lovingly fostered Violet until May when she transferred into my care. Throughout all this time, her progress has been incredibly slow.

Violet’s sitting posture 4/2/15

Violet still sitting back on her tail 5/12/15

Violet lounging in her special cage set up 5/13/15

Violet is fostered in my special needs bird room. She can’t be out of her cage all the time because she has to time-share the space with other birds. When too-aggressive Freckles is out of his cage, she has to be in hers. But she loves to come out for a couple hours each morning and evening. As soon as I open her cage door, she flies out and begins flapping her wings.

Flapping her wings for lift, Violet can stand & walk

She spends most of her out-of-cage time flap flap flapping. When she flaps, it generates the lift she needs to be able to stand up and to walk a few steps. She’ll flap continuously for an hour or more. It seems almost involuntary or compulsive while she is doing it but there are times when she chooses not to do it (when she’s in her cage or sitting in a food bowl) so perhaps it feels good or reduces discomfort from sitting all the time.

The trauma Violet endured when she was injured has impacted the transmission of neural information between her brain and her legs. She has feeling in her legs and can control them (somewhat). We were surprised to discover that when turned on her back, which I did the first time to exam her, she will pedal pedal pedal her legs. This does seem more involuntary than deliberate. I occasionally turn her over for some pedal time in the hopes that it will help her recovery.

We know that birds sometime make extraordinary recoveries if given enough time and support (see Ava’s story and Bell’s story for examples). Violet seems to be getting better rather than worse and she shows a strong desire to live. We are committed to helping her live the very best life she can.

Briefly standing (!) without flapping 6/6/15

Breeding domestic pigeons to fly wild skies is an inhumane practice from the start but to further endanger them by selectively inbreeding “Roller Pigeons” for the genetic inclination to somersault mid-flight is truly heartless. The fanciers’ enjoyment of their “sport” in no way makes up for the suffering of the birds. Breeders have gone so far as to create “Parlor Rollers”, pigeons so compromised that when they try to fly, can only somersault across the ground. (The current world record roll is 662 feet.) It is perverse and indefensible. Watch Parlor Rollers compete to see for yourself and set aside time to see the BBC documentary Pedigreed Dogs Exposed to learn more about the horrors of “purebreds”.

But Violet can’t help any of that. She is here and she wants a life just as we all do.

I think Violet’s progress may be plateaued and that she needs some extra help to increase her chances for success. I want to rig up a sling that can help her bear some weight on her legs and improve her strength and control. Slings aren’t easy to get right and I’ve not had much luck with past slings that I’ve made. Here’s one I found on the Internet (creator unknown) that has inspired me. I’ve also been thinking about how a pair of pigeon pants or a flight suit might be modified to serve as a sling… Stay tuned.

Thank you for reading Violet’s story and for helping us to help her and all the others. Compassion matters.

This morning, until funds run out, you can make a donation in support of the work that we do and GlobalGiving will add a 50% bonus match to your donation. Please, if you can, make a donation right now. Bonus match funds run out early. Thank you.

Violet thanks you

10/18/17 UPDATE: See Violet’s adoption story- Violet to Go!