Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Experts Agree: Parrot-Pigeon "Hybrids" Probably Just Dyed Pigeons
By
Jen Carlson
Published Mar 13, 2014
Modified Mar 13, 2014
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Carlson
Published Mar 13, 2014
Modified Mar 13, 2014
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Experts agree: this is not a magical pigeon-parrot hybrid. (Photo by bytegirl's flickr)
Last weekend some mysterious pigeon-parrot hybrids were spotted in Queens, but experts now tell us these are just your garden variety rock pigeons with some colorful dye applied. Next they'll tell us this isn't a photo of Anthony Weiner astride a pegasus! Below are theories and thoughts from a birder, a pigeon fancier, and the NYC Audubon.
New York City birder Yojimbot tells us the pigeon "has been dyed... impossible to say with what but I'm guessing some vegetable based dye, because anything else would affect the flight of the bird. I've heard of similar things in Europe and India for religious ceremonies."
Onorio Catenacci, a pigeon fancier from Michigan, tells us the process is painless: "I've seen pigeons with dyed feathers before; it doesn't hurt the birds at all any more than a human being dyeing his or her hair would hurt them. The feathers will stay dyed until the bird molts them." As to why someone would dye a pigeon's feathers—"it might be that they just like the way the dyes look or it may be that they're trying to make their pigeons easier to identify from the ground. There are lots of pigeons that are around in colors that occur naturally; if you dye a pigeon's feathers, you can easily tell which bird is yours from the ground (with field glasses of course)."
Tod Winston at the NYC Audubon agrees the pigeons were dyed, but believes the process is harmful to the pigeons and any predators that may get a taste: "These are pigeons that have had some of their feathers dyed or painted. Though they are pretty, it is most likely not good for the birds; birds preen their feathers and will likely ingest the paint (which might be toxic) when they do so. The paint will also make the pigeons more obvious to predators—and if they are killed and eaten by predators such as our native red-tailed hawks, the hawks will themselves ingest the paint and possibly be harmed by it."
Tagged
hybrid
original
mythical creatures
parrot
pigeon
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Inside a photographer's journey to visit every neighborhood in New York City
What do you see when you record the whole of the boroughs?
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 5, 2026
Banned books and Winnie the Pooh: October in NYC libraries
It's a busy month at the branches.
By
Alec Hamilton
Arts & Entertainment
Banned books and Winnie the Pooh: October in NYC libraries
It's a busy month at the branches.
By
Alec Hamilton
NYC music in October: The Strokes, a Blink-182 cover band, and Polish experimentalism
By
Hank Shteamer
Are you a New Yorker? The Department of New Yorker Verification will now decide.
By
Hannah Frishberg
In the mood for a pastoral autumn experience? Try Queens.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .