At the animal shelter, the dogs and cats are usually the stars until a pigeon shows up. The fearless Valley attracts everyone's attention and almost ensures her own happy ending.
Brooke Ciardi was in the yard of an animal shelter taking photos of dogs so they could be adopted when she suddenly felt something on her head. It was a pigeon that had swooped down to land in her hair.
Ciardi was slightly startled because she had the bird on her head, but the pigeon seemed perfectly content.
"I was surprised because this pigeon wasn't afraid of dogs or people," said Ciardi, who works as a coordinator for the Montgomery County Animal Services & Adoption Center in Derwood, Md.
“It was enchanting but also disturbing,” she said. "It was a rainy day and I thought, 'This is a bird without much survival skills.'"
Ciardi soon learned that the pigeon had recently become a regular at the shelter, riding on employees' heads, shoulders or fanny packs from the parking lot to the building and refusing to jump down unless forced.
“She rode on people at least five times to get into the building and they kept having to take her outside,” Ciardi said. "I said, 'That's not right - she seems like a pet.'"
Ciardi said her supervisor agreed that the pigeon did not appear to be wild and that the bird's friendly behavior could pose a safety issue, especially if a dog or cat was chasing it.
They decided that Valley - the name the staff chose for the rock dove - would make a good pet for the right person. She was put up for adoption on April 2, about a week after the bird first landed on an employee's shoulder.
“We sometimes have pet pigeons that are surrendered to us when someone can no longer care for them,” said Ciardi, who noted that 12 of these birds were surrendered to the shelter last year.
There's no evidence the same thing happened to Valley, but the pigeon's friendly nature suggests it was likely domesticated as a young animal, Ciardi said.
“She is a young pigeon, and pigeons can have a long lifespan of about 15 years,” Ciardi said.
Easily identified by their green neck feathers, the birds are common in cities around the world and are known for their unique ability to fly home. Additionally, they are often ridiculed as pests and referred to as rats with wings.
During World War I and World War II, carrier pigeons were used to carry secret messages from combat zones back home.
“They have a very interesting story and are really intelligent,” Ciardi said. “They used to be bred and domesticated to work with us, just like dogs do.
As radio communications improved and birds were no longer needed as messengers, "humanity abandoned them and we began to look down on them," Ciardi said. “But I think it’s in their DNA that they want to be among us.”
Ciardi and her staff agreed it was important to find a good home for Valley. On April 2, Ciardi posted a message on Facebook that the pigeon was up for adoption.
“Valley is a very friendly, very silly and very determined pigeon with a funny story,” she wrote. “Last week, staff noticed a pigeon hanging outside our adoption center. Eventually she decided she was tired of waiting and got herself into the building by landing on a staff member and hitchhiking inside.”
Ciardi then wrote about the bird pouncing on her in the rain and remaining calm as curious dogs approached.
“It was ultimately decided that Valley would be happy to be put up for adoption due to her love of human companionship and lack of survival skills,” Ciardi wrote. “Well, you’ve come to the right place!”
About 850 followers liked the post, and several people mentioned that they wished they could adopt Valley. CBS affiliate WUSA9 reported on the search for a permanent home for the pigeon.
"If I didn't have a cat I would definitely consider this," one person commented.
Others found it amusing that the pigeon likes to hitch a ride.
“Don’t let the pigeon drive the bus. Just ride on your shoulders,” joked one follower, alluding to the popular children’s book by Mo Willems. Willems also happened to write the book “A Bird Sits on Your Head.”
Two days after the Facebook post, a woman in New Jersey decided Valley would be the perfect pet for her two young boys.
Keryn Rosenberger drove three hours from South Amboy, NJ, to Montgomery County to adopt Valley on Thursday.
Rosenberger is a single mother and said her parents kept birds as pets when she was young. She thought Valley would be a good fit for her family.
“My boys are obsessed with being outside bird watching and we feed wild birds all the time,” she said. “I saw the post about the pigeon online and thought it would be in good hands with us.
Although Rosenberger brought a cage with her to transport Valley, she decided to let the bird rest in the passenger seat on the way home.
“She sat there and sometimes on my head,” Rosenberger, 38, said. “Then she finally settled into one of my kids’ car seats.”
Valley hasn't used her cage at home yet, Rosenberger added.
“She rides on my head and the heads of the two children, all over the house,” Rosenberger said. “When I shower, she sits on the shower head. She is a very sociable bird that always needs to be with someone.”
Rosenberger said she purchased cloth diapers for Valley online, along with a harness and leash for public outings. They should arrive later this week.
“We’re looking forward to a few fun hours with her,” said Rosenberger.
Although Ciardi was sad to see the bird go, she is also happy that Valley will now have a new home.
“It was a great experience getting to know her,” Ciardi said. “She has a sweet personality and we really enjoyed having her around, even if just for a short time.
We are currently testing machine translations. This article was automatically translated from English into German.
This article was first published in English on April 10, 2024 at the “Washingtonpost.com” - as part of a cooperation, it is now also available in translation to readers of the IPPEN.MEDIA portals.