# Green pigeons?!



## flitsnowzoom (Mar 20, 2007)

Okay, this is a new one on me. Look at this pictures --
http://pets.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/911PigeonAlert/photos/browse/f452
and let me know what you think.

This bird sighting has been confirmed by a nature center director in the Baltimore and DC area. 

Too much spinach in the diet? 
If it's computer enhanced, it's a beautiful job. Practical joke, urban legend? Good question.


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## samuri_spartan (Aug 26, 2007)

Check out this link:
http://www.papillonsartpalace.com/rainbowpigeons.htm

This guy lives in hawaii but maybe someone else found out how he did it and it got lost? 

Awesome looking bird nevertheless

Christopher


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## flitsnowzoom (Mar 20, 2007)

Well, that is quite a link. Thanks.
I'll post it over to the woman that orginally reported this pigeon.


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## SkyofAngels (Jun 28, 2007)

HEY!!!! My great uncle did this with his doves sixty years ago! He was in the circus and he had his all his animals were in the papers alot! He lived with a bear and he had the very rare all white deer, and rainbow birds. He used food coloring I did it to my doves once. We got a new magic trick where we turn silks into doves and I dyed the doves different colors and we had different colored silks it was really cool but the trick was heavy so we stopped doing it and stopped dying the birds, This guy ripped us off oh well Uncle George would want someone else to help his tradition live on.


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## samuri_spartan (Aug 26, 2007)

Awesome story kristen. How do you dye the birds? Do you just dip them in food coloring or something? 

Chris


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## flitsnowzoom (Mar 20, 2007)

SkyofAngels said:


> he had the very rare all white deer, and rainbow birds.


Here's a thread I posted earlier this year on an albino mule deer we saw up near Idaho Springs, CO
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=20432&highlight=albino+deer



What I liked about the bird that's posted on the 911Pigeon Alert groups is the feathers that took the dye differently. Loved those white feathers along with the darker green ones. Do you suppose he knows he's green?


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Dyed pigeons or however they were colored, have been posted before...

Don't think the site is an advocate for this coloring type of thing... 

Shi


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## samuri_spartan (Aug 26, 2007)

mr squeaks said:


> Dyed pigeons or however they were colored, have been posted before...
> 
> Don't think the site is an advocate for this coloring type of thing...
> 
> Shi


I dont want to do it. I was just wondering how they did it. If they dipped them in color, or if it was like a flamingo and they were that color cause of their diet. I dont know if that is possible in any other birds. Just a question of curiosity.


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## Hillybean (Oct 30, 2005)

I think Shi is correct. This type of subject has come up in the past, I believe early this summer.

I also don't believe the forum encourages it to be done for several reasons.One being (if remmebering correctly) it makes your birds MORE noticable to predators. The forum and members do encourage everyone to enjoy the natural beauty of each pigeon and breed.

If your truely interested in finding out how its done, please go through old links on the topic, or pm others. Learn the pros and cons if there are any. IMO, I don't really think it needs posted for everyone to see, or beginners to try..

Its very neat though, and the fake colors are very bold .
-Hilly


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## samuri_spartan (Aug 26, 2007)

Oh... ok... understandable.


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

This reminds me of a story my Dad told me. When he was a kid, one used to be able to buy dyed chicks at Easter time. He was one of 12 children, and one year his Dad brought home a dozen dyed Easter chicks - one for each child. My Dad's was purple, and it eventually grew up to be a big lavender rooster. Guess they used pretty strong dyes.

Thankfully, the irresponsible practice of selling dyed chicks stopped a long time ago. (Dad is in his 70s.) But the green pigeon reminded me of this story.


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## flitsnowzoom (Mar 20, 2007)

This wasn't posted for amusement and a request for a diy project, more of amazement and concern. This came from serious inquiry from a person that works at a nature center that had this bird reported to them. At first I thought it might have been a green parrot as there are some loose flocks back East, however, the pictures confirmed the species. I thought this group would be a resource and might know of someone in the DC area that knew of someone. . . . . 
We get new members here all the time and when I searched on green pigeons I didn't find anything in a thread.


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## flitsnowzoom (Mar 20, 2007)

*This bird is hanging around a stadium being built at the Naval Academy*

Okay, 
This bird is real and it's on the lam. So, any ideas?


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## Margarret (May 3, 2007)

There really is a green pigeon. It is one of the exotics,native to Singapore and there is a picture of it in the most recent issue of Purebred Pigeon. It is called a Pink Necked Green Pigeon. The body and wings are a light sort of chartruse fading to yellow on the chest and a pale pinkish grey head and neck. When I first read that a green pigeon had been sighted, I thought perhaps one of these birds had gotten free until I saw the pictures. If you Google Pink Necked Green Pigeon there are a number of sites if you are curious about what they look like.

Margarret


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## SkyofAngels (Jun 28, 2007)

Not to add to this debate but I just want to clarify. The birds that I or my great uncle dyed were not birds that were released. They were ringnecks that were used in magic shows. I used gel food coloring, its not liked I used human hair dye or something that would hurt them. I also checked with not one but two avian vets before dying them and both said it wouldn't be hurt at all by this. These birds were not ever near predators so they were not a target. All of my animals are very well taken care of, I would NEVER do anything to hurt any of my pets. How is dying them any different then giving them a bath just the water is colored, and they don't drink it I make sure of that. So how can this hurt them? 
I saw a special on tv were there was an animal shelter that dyed there dogs different colors with food coloring and all their animals were adopted. This didn't hurt them and saved them all from being euthanized. 
This forum advocates many things that lets be honest does put our birds at risk like racing and releasing their birds and almost everyone has had losses from that. I have never had a loss from coloring a bird so I don't see why this is "not advocated". It doesn't hurt them so why is it wrong? It does however bring interest into the world of pigeons and maybe changes peoples mind and makes them think of pigeons as something of beauty and not a "winged rat" and My birds bring happiness to children. Seems like a win win to me!
I have the utmost respect for this forum and its members. Can't we agree that there is more than one way to do things?
Okay the story about the ducks- You said the ducks grew to be fully grown right? So how is this irresponsible. If it was so harmful then the bird would be dead long before reaching adulthood. 
Many myself included incorporate their love of birds into their business(or sport) and in a business we do things to succeed and as long as what is done doesn't harm anyone I don't see anything wrong with it. I am a loving bird owner that has colored her birds, but first and foremost I am a loving bird owner!


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

The use of dyes on pigeons has been considered to deter predators.:

http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/dyelog/B1063361308/C1691090068/E274476190/index.html

I think that they have also considered painting predator eyes on pigeon wings for the same purpose.

Cynthia


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## SkyofAngels (Jun 28, 2007)

Really that is interesting! Maybe I should dye my white homers too! I have an airbrush I never thought to use that I always just put on gloves and gavethem a colored bath or rubbed them with gel color


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

SkyofAngels said:


> Okay the story about the ducks- You said the ducks grew to be fully grown right? So how is this irresponsible. If it was so harmful then the bird would be dead long before reaching adulthood.
> Many myself included incorporate their love of birds into their business(or sport) and in a business we do things to succeed and as long as what is done doesn't harm anyone I don't see anything wrong with it. I am a loving bird owner that has colored her birds, but first and foremost I am a loving bird owner!


Hi SkyofAngels,
To clarify - I was not trying to offend or to say that there is anything cruel about using food coloring to dye a bird if the dye is safe and does not injure the bird.

What I view as irresponsible is the marketing of these poor little live baby animals as playthings for children. My father took good care of his bird and it grew up to be big and strong. But I am sure that many families who bought these chicks for their children were not so careful or nice. Not to mention that most people are not equipped to raise chickens at home. So...it is not the dyeing itself I feel is wrong, but the practice of marketing baby animals the way one might sell candy or stuffed toys. 

I am sorry if I upset or offended you. Didn't mean to at all. I should've been more clear. Hope you'll accept my apology and I also hope that the mysterious green pigeon finds its way back home - if not to a new happy home.

p.s. I am a fan of dove magic & wish I had the performance skills to be able to do it.


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## flitsnowzoom (Mar 20, 2007)

Whew! I didn't realize there was such a controversy. Hope everthing is getting smoothed out. 

I don't know if hawks or other aerial predators see in color or in shades of gray. For cats and dogs, the colors probably show up as grays so the bird may not be any more visible than a typical monochrome pigeon in the mid gray range. Most predators are attracted by movement and sound so color may not be such a key to them as to us. 

And now, I'm going to google that natural pink-necked green pigeon


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## SkyofAngels (Jun 28, 2007)

I was not offended by your story in fact it proved my point that dyeing the bird doesn't hurt them, I understand how you feel about the birds being sold as play things and I agree with you. I don't think any creature should be treated poorly whether it is colored or not. I just didn't like that it seemed like I was abusing my birds. I just wanted it known that it doesn't hurt them and I wasn't causing the birds I love any harm.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Just so you know.........this "green" bird is a racing pigeon. It has a permenant band AND a chip ring on it's other leg. I just hope someone can catch it. I'm not amused one little bit.


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## SkyofAngels (Jun 28, 2007)

I can't read the original post all it says is sign in Yahoo. What can we do to help?


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## abisai (Jan 30, 2007)

Yeah this subject was touched upon in this forum before. 'Bout a month ago I was in a pigeon shop, and saw a mult-colored homer. I remembered the post on PigeonTalk, and inquired - the owner told me very non-chalantly it was colored that way. It doesn't hurt the bird any. I know that if you change a rooster appearance with paint, the other birds won't know its him and will confront him as a new bird to his place in the pecking order - and of course the painted rooster has no idea why all the cocks are confronting him. Don't know if pigeons react the same, but it seems like a cruel joke.

Abisai


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

This is a fairly recent link on the subject.

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=19551


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## Hillybean (Oct 30, 2005)

*Oh......*



cyro51 said:


> The use of dyes on pigeons has been considered to deter predators.:
> 
> http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/dyelog/B1063361308/C1691090068/E274476190/index.html
> 
> ...


Thank you for the information....and correction.
I know, I read somewhere that it had the opposite effect.
I do tend to read _too_ much, and sometimes get confused...It also depends on "where" I read it from  . 

Margarret,
that is VERY interesting and also neat!

I hope the little pigeon can be helped. From the impression I'm getting this one could have came from anywhere. I would think whoever the owner is wouldn't be hard to find, because I would think that they would have other colorful ones like it....then again maybe not  .

Best of luck!
Hilly


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Lol, one of those sites has this picture on it.........










Now I know none of it's true, we all know pigeons can't build nests that elaborate!   "Let's see, three twigs, two feathers, yup, that should do it!"

Hope that green pigeon finds its way home, it does stand out in a crowd. I think they look beautiful naturally.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

I also responded to this one on 911 PA .. it's an artificially colored pigeon .. as Margaret posted, there are exotic species of doves that are green, but this isn't one of them  

I have a mostly white rescue here where someone had colored some of the feathers on the underside of the wing PURPLE. I'm sure it was pretty spectacular to watch this bird fly, but geez, people ..  

Terry


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## Flying_Pidgy (Apr 26, 2006)

maryjane said:


> The dyed ones sure are pretty and if it does help kids and people get interested in them, I suppose that's a good thing at least as far as that goes. I think they look beautiful naturally.


yeah true, but if u think about it what if the colored ones were the normal ferals and the feral color we have today was new and never before seen , same with white pigeons, if all ferals were white pigeons the blue bar and checker type would be very fascinating to people


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Flying_Pidgy said:


> yeah true, but if u think about it what if the colored ones were the normal ferals and the feral color we have today was new and never before seen , same with white pigeons, if all ferals were white pigeons the blue bar and checker type would be very fascinating to people


I couldn't agree more.  I would never do this to one of my animals, personally, but I also try not to mess with nature in the first place, and I can't see how fun it would be for even a pet pigeon to be dipped, or airbrushed, or painted, etc....just so some people who may not have thought so previously, can think that pigeons are special. I already know they're special.  While I don't condone it and don't personally agree with it, I suppose I accept that there are people who love their pigeons who do this for whatever their own reasons are, and most of them look pretty healthy and well-taken care of, which was my first concern when I first heard about all of this awhile back. Hope it's not too much of a fad, as I'm sure not everyone would be so careful about what pretty colors they're painting their birds with.


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## Pigeonworldwide (Dec 10, 2003)

I know I havent posted here in a while but noticed this thread! A few days back I went to a theme park in Holland (I have a subscription to this park). They use to colour them in once very 2 weeks with some special brush. Now they give them a special animal-friendly bath. And yes, it keeps the predators out. Without any further delay, here are some pics of the coloured pigeons they have. Enjoy!

Ps. These photos are not mine - I did make some however I need to find my camera cable first!!


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## Pigeonworldwide (Dec 10, 2003)

More photos:


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## Pigeonworldwide (Dec 10, 2003)

Last photo I found:


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## Pigeonworldwide (Dec 10, 2003)

Will upload my own photos soon!


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## flitsnowzoom (Mar 20, 2007)

They look like they're dressed for a party!  I love the way the golden yellow ones blend in with the rocks pretty well. I can see that the colors mute the white and might hide a white bird better from non-people predators.

These birds remind me of when I went through a phase of dying white food colors. My grandfather was the only one that just ate it w/out snide comments. That's what granddads are all about


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## florida217 (Aug 11, 2007)

This thread is fascinating! 

I did a bit of Googleing and found a site that says birds have better color vision then humans. It makes me wonder what a hawk would think of these brightly colored pigeons. Would it make them more interested in attacking the bird, or would the unusual color scare the hawk away?

http://www.rattlesnake.com/notions/birds-color-vision.html

I don't think I want to use any of my white homers as test birds to find out the answer.


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## Becca199212 (May 10, 2007)

I was on a website a while ago, can't remember what one now but they coloured all the birds like that but they were all multi-coloured appart form the hen (the rest were cocks).
It was somekind of game with judges, from what I can remember the cocks were all different colours and they let the hen out then all the cocks, the cocks got points for getting close to the hen, I don't know if it was like a proper thing or if a few people with pigeons made it up.

They were coloured so the jdges could work out what bird was what when giving points.


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## RussianRoller (Mar 19, 2007)

*Dying Pigeons*

How do u dye pigeons green, blue and whatever color?


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

flitsnowzoom said:


> Okay, this is a new one on me. Look at this pictures --
> http://pets.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/911PigeonAlert/photos/browse/f452
> and let me know what you think.
> 
> ...




Hi Flits,

Can you post a working link?


All I get when I click it is 

https://login.yahoo.com/config/logi...o.com/group/911PigeonAlert/photos/browse/f452


Which is a 'yahoo' sign-in, and I have no dea what my years ago name and password are for 'yahoo' and there seems to be no way to find out, either, as far as contacting them...and I have tried many times and got no where.

So, any actual links which one can access directly?


Phil
l v


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

I don't see anything wrong with color coding your pets. Dye and release is wrong though.


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

Actually it seems that some states are dying some doves to track migration. So, the government dyed that dove probably.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

philodice said:


> Actually it seems that some states are dying some doves to track migration. So, the government dyed that dove probably.


Can you provide some links for this? I'm not doubting .. just interested.

Terry


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## SkyofAngels (Jun 28, 2007)

philodice said:


> I don't see anything wrong with color coding your pets. *Dye and release is wrong though*.


If you read a link earlier in this thread it says that dyeing deters predators so maybe that is why people dye their release birds to protect them. I don't see anything wrong with it as long as it doesn't hurt them, I guess though that some people would use stuff that isn't good for them just like (I am a face painter and I use real face paint made from all natural oils) well I always see people using poster paints on the kids faces and I am always like so I guess that some people would use just about anything either cause they don't know or they don't care, whatever is the cheapest


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

I think I'd be pretty freaked out if I was a Hawk and saw a yellow and pink Pigeon. At first I thought that somebody had dyed a pet and let it go, which is cruel because a pet wouldn't have survival skills. 
Then all I could find on dyed birds was one reference on the internet, nothing really interesting.
Time Magazine:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,821724,00.html


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

philodice said:


> I think I'd be pretty freaked out if I was a Hawk and saw a yellow and pink Pigeon. At first I thought that somebody had dyed a pet and let it go, which is cruel because a pet wouldn't have survival skills.
> Then all I could find on dyed birds was one reference on the internet, nothing really interesting.
> Time Magazine:
> http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,821724,00.html


Thanks, I had no idea that this was being done.

Terry


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

philodice said:


> I think I'd be pretty freaked out if I was a Hawk and saw a yellow and pink Pigeon. At first I thought that somebody had dyed a pet and let it go, which is cruel because a pet wouldn't have survival skills.
> Then all I could find on dyed birds was one reference on the internet, nothing really interesting.
> Time Magazine:
> http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,821724,00.html




Wow...the little 'Time' article mentions dyed Wild Doves being found to travel 450 Miles in six days...


Thats pretty good for those little Wings..!


Phil
l v


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Wonder if they're still doing this? That article dates back to 1951. Gee, I had just turned 13.


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