‘Some people will say that pigeons are vermin or flying rats,’ says pigeon rescuer Tom Lerendu. ‘Of course, I don't believe that.’ ‌ Lerendu has been helping pigeons with injured feet since 2020. ‌ During lockdown, he began feeding birds from his flat’s windowsill and became curious when he saw a pigeon with stringfoot. ‌ This initial encounter sparked Lerendu’s interest in these urban birds. ‌ Unsure how he could help – with what is known as stringfoot, the term used to describe pigeons’ feet which have become entangled – he deep-dived into research. ‌ Catching stringfoot birds is a skill Lerendu has been mastering to this day. He had a few sessions with a local rehabber before he was confident to go out on his own. ‌ Stringfoot is often the reason why pigeons can have missing toes or feet. Pigeons spend a lot of their day walking around and that is how it can start, explains Lerendu. ‌ ‘It felt really unfair that they were suffering because of what is essentially is our mess,’ says 🌱🐦 . ‌ According to a study published in the journal Biological Conservation, human pollution likely played a part in nearly all cases of missing toes and that pigeons living in areas with higher rates of air and noise pollution tended to have fewer digits than those that lived in leafier environs. ‌ Birds often lose their extremities by getting them entangled in human hair, the study found. ‌ Since 2020, Lerendu has helped over a hundred birds with this condition, honing his destringing skills. ‌ He is part of the Manchester Pigeon Rehab, which runs two destringing sessions each month. ‌ Rehabbers each have their own finely honed specialities, whether it is setting broken wings or dressing wounds. ‌ Their collective effort for the pigeons of the city runs entirely on goodwill. ‌ ‘Like any other animal really, pigeons are just out there trying to survive, and we certainly don’t make that easy for them’, adds Lerendu. ‌ To read more about how a 3,000-strong group is helping injured pigeons in Manchester – read the full article via the link in bio #uk #pigeon #manchester