NEW YORK, July 28 (UPI) -- A flock of helpless ringneck doves was discovered in a New York park, possibly after being released at a wedding.
Rescuers have been trying to reach the birds since they were first spotted during the weekend, The New York Times reported. They were in trees near the Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Park.
"Someone just dumped them all, or some agency released them as part of a celebratory function," Jennifer Chong, a licensed wildlife rehabilitation specialist, told The Times. "They have no homing instinct at all and are basically domestic birds. They don't have much of a survival instinct."
Experts say reputable bird handlers use white homing pigeons for bird releases. They return to their home coops after some healthful exercise.
Doves purchased at pet shops have never lived on their own and do not know how to hunt for food in the wild.
Rescuers said they had retrieved 18 of the 45 birds found in Flushing, including one that later died. They hope to place the birds in good homes once they recover.
