As posted on my Instagram July 29, 2024…
My sensitive girl. She had a rough start to life, dyed yellow and used as an event release bird. We adopted her 8 years ago. She made her partner Isa VERY happy, and he is understandably having a sad day. Their images are everywhere, from my logo to our t-shirts and sweatshirts. Kuu was our rescue ambassador and she will be dearly missed.
Humans treat street pigeons like shit. Rank them with cockroaches and rats. A peace-white dove on the other hand? The exaltation and ceremony? Well, those are pigeons too. Our Kuu occupied a middle ground. She was as slim and white as an international symbol; yet, she was abused like an object and put out like the trash.
She was sweet and gentle. Made a shy & concerned coo when approached. She was a devoted partner to Isa, and he guarded her and doted over her. Together they were coop royalty and our adoption ambassadors. We do indeed have their images printed on shirts. And that’s Kuu’s likeness up there in my logo. With a moon for an eye. Because Kuu means “moon” in Finnish.
She was adopted from a Los Angeles city shelter, so I can only estimate her age to be 9-12 years. On the day I first met her, the shelter staff didn’t even know what kind of bird she was. That’s because she was died neon yellow. Probably to match bridesmaids’ dresses or some ridiculous parade float. Neko Case sums it up with the title of her song about animal abuse: “People Got A Lotta Nerve.”
Kuu was never sick, never one to be fussed over. A couple times I’d dumbly propped the aviary’s front door open on cleaning day and Kuu stepped out into the great beyond. She flew up to the walnut tree, back down to the pen roof, then waddled in through the front door just like she came. While I was having panic attacks, she was as cool as could be. Even these past few months as she showed signs of gradual decline, she couldn’t be bothered. She enjoyed eating—especially ice plant and cantaloupe seeds—and kept busy at a slower pace. Then, a peaceful ending this week that was just so Kuu.