“[S]omething was wrong.”
The other day, Sherryl Romain was walking through her East Harlem neighborhood in New York when she noticed a dove sitting on the sidewalk. His pretty feathers caught her attention, and she decided to move closer for a better look.
As she approached, Romain realized the bird wasn’t acting normally. He stayed curled up on the ground and barely reacted when she came near. Most birds would have flown away or at least tried to move, but this dove remained completely still.
That’s when Romain began to worry that something was wrong.
She gently checked him over to see if he had any visible injuries. The dove didn’t struggle or try to escape, even as she carefully picked him up and looked at his feet. His calm behavior surprised her, and she began to wonder if he might be a lost or abandoned pet rather than a wild bird.
Although she couldn’t see any obvious wounds, the dove seemed weak and tired. Romain decided he needed professional help, so she carefully placed him on her lap and took a taxi to Wild Bird Fund, a local rescue organization.
During the 20-minute ride, the dove stayed peacefully with her. Romain gently petted him while he rested, and his eyes began to close as if he finally felt safe. Even though they had only just met, he seemed to trust her.
When they arrived at Wild Bird Fund, staff examined the dove and confirmed that he was not a wild bird. No one knew exactly how he ended up alone on a busy city sidewalk, but it was clear he likely would not have survived for long without help.
Romain later said that, in the future, she would recommend placing an injured or weak bird in a small box with a towel for transport. Still, in that moment, she did the best she could — and her kindness made all the difference.
To Romain, birds are often unfairly ignored or judged, even though they are delicate animals who deserve compassion and care. She was glad she stopped instead of walking past.
For now, the dove will remain at Wild Bird Fund until he is stable. Since he is not wild, he will later be moved to a sanctuary where he can live safely.
Thanks to Romain’s quick action and the rescuers caring for him, the gentle dove is no longer alone and helpless on the street.