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Mystery of bright green pigeon seen in UK town - as experts 'sound the alarm'

The luminous bird has been causing a flap in Northampton where it is regularly spotted next to a church in the town centre, and has led to the RSPCA issuing a warning

[Green pigeon]

Dazzling bird has been creating quite a stir in Northampton

Locals have been left scratching their heads over a mysterious luminous GREEN pigeon that's become a TikTok phenomenon in their neighbourhood - drawing sightseers from miles around.

The dazzling bird has been creating quite a stir in Northampton where it's frequently seen perched near a church in the heart of the town.

Social media users have been making pilgrimages to the East Midlands for a peek, with clips of the peculiar pigeon going viral and clocking up more than four million views.

The source of the bird's extraordinary colouring remains a puzzle, though the RSPCA has sounded the alarm about the potential risks online crazes pose to animals.

The wildlife organisation suspects the glowing creature may have been intentionally coloured or painted - although some reckon it could be linked to what it's been eating.

Nearby resident Robin Hinkmott captured the bird on camera in Northampton town centre outside All Saints Church on June 28. He remarked: "Me and my partner were playing Pokemon Go that weekend so wandered that way to see if we could spot the shiny pigeon. If I had to guess it was someone having a laugh, or dyed for a wedding or a some sort of event.

[Green pigeon]

RSPCA has sounded the alarm about the potential risks

"It doesn't seem to be negatively impacted by it or treated differently. I suppose there's a risk that it might be more visible to predators."

Fellow local Alex Zambon, 33, who's employed in the city centre, commented: "I often have my lunch around there and there's always people filming it."

A local was left gobsmacked when a visitor from London trekked all the way to Northampton just to catch a glimpse of what's become an unlikely tourist draw.

He remarked: "One guy said he'd come up from London and I've heard many travel long distances to see it, which is a bit bonkers, as Northampton isn't really known for loads of tourists."

The resident found humour in the situation, adding: "So to have a pigeon as a tourist attraction is quite funny really."

Speculation about the bird's unusual colour has been rife, with one theory being shared on air by an ornithologist: "I heard one bird expert on the radio say it may be down to what it eats, like seagulls can go a bit pink if they eat shrimps. But it's a bit of a mystery."

TikTok has been abuzz with clips of the 'famous viral green pigeon of Northampton', amassing millions of views.

An online commenter couldn't hide their amusement: "It's absolutely crazy people are travelling to my home town just to get a video of a pigeon".

Curiosity also sparked another user to question: "Why is it even like that, is it radioactive or something...the Incredible Hulk of the bird kingdom."

Birdwatch Magazine's optics editor Mike Alibone weighed in, suggesting the pigeon, originally white, had been dyed green.

[Green pigeon]

Speculation about the bird's unusual colour has been rife

Explaining further, he said: "The reason for this is not clear but the bird has certainly escaped and joined the resident feral pigeon flock in Northampton town centre."

He noted that while some racing pigeon enthusiasts do dye their birds, it's not a widespread practice in the UK.

Alibone also mentioned: "But some pigeons can be dyed pink or blue for a gender-reveal party - a tradition where expectant couples learn the sex of their baby using pink or blue items.

"Green may be a less common colour for dyeing, but this might also be linked to some form of 'columbicultura', where a single female pigeon seeks to avoid up to eighty 'gaudily painted' pigeons chasing and seeking to mate with her, which is not uncommon in Spain.

"It's regarded as a sport - so it might be something connected with pigeon racing.

"With regard to how the bird is affected, it depends on the chemical composition of the dye and whether it contains anything poisonous to the bird or whether it affects the bird's natural waterproofing of its plumage.

"It should not affect flying ability. The Northampton bird seemed in fine fettle and was competing successfully with the other pigeons for food being thrown down by people keen to feed them."

The RSPCA has previously raised the alarm after witnessing a social media-driven craze of expectant parents colouring birds pink or blue for gender reveal celebrations.

Birds have perished after breathing in toxic fumes from the dye, whilst it can also hamper their flight capabilities and leave them more exposed to predators, according to the charity.

An RSPCA spokesperson commented: "We suspect this pigeon's feathers have been painted - something we seem to be hearing about more and more.

"The majority of us want the best for animals, and to treat them with respect - so it's important to remember that intentionally painting a pigeon's feathers can be dangerous for the animal.

"It can cause health problems, impair their ability to fly and make them more vulnerable to predators.

"Dye and paints can be toxic to birds and other animals, and they would be likely to try to clean any such substance from their coat or feathers which could result in them swallowing it.

"Until its next moult, this pigeon will likely be more at risk in the wild.

"Sadly, from time to time we do hear anecdotally about incidents involving animals being affected in this way - and sadly we fear social media trends could be fuelling this.

"To find out what to do if you witness an incident involving dyeing or painting an animal, please visit the RSPCA's website.

"There's also more information about how to help a wild animal you may have concerns for."

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