New York pink pigeon ‘Flamingo’ dies from dye likely dyed to reveal sex

When doves die

A mysterious New York pink pigeon named Flamingo died last night after allegedly experiencing an adverse reaction to paint covering his body.

“We are very sad to announce that Flamingo, our cute pink dove, has passed away,” the Wild Bird Foundation New York bird rehabilitator wrote in a heartbreaking diary circulating on Facebook.

The pink rock dove became an instant celebrity after the WBF rescued it from Madison Square Park last month. Birdwatching experts have been baffled by the flamingo’s pink coloration, which they suspect was deliberately painted as part of the bird’s sex-revealing trick.

The WBF blamed this soulless color “scheme” for the Flamingo’s death.

“Despite our best efforts to reduce the amount of fumes emitted from the dye while keeping it calm and stable, it died overnight,” they wrote. “We believe his death was caused by the inhalation of toxins.”

However, the non-profit organization suggested that the poor bird would have died even without “coloring” due to its captive-bred status. “This king pigeon, a poultry likely raised for food, was malnourished, barely older than a baby and had no survival skills when it was released and left to fend for itself,” they explained.

In light of the tragedy, the WBF is warning the public against releasing poultry into the wild, which they say will inevitably lead to their “starvation or predation”.

“Based on the hundreds of comments we have received, we know YOU know this, but please try to discourage others from releasing pet birds for any reason,” the ornithological rehabilitation center pleaded. “Dove Release” sounds romantic, but if you take away the jewelry and Instagram photos, it’s like throwing your helpless pets on the side of the road.”