INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Image copyrightSPCAImage caption
SPCA staff removing tinsel attached to a pigeon
Dozens of birds have
been found dead or injured in New Zealand with Christmas decorations tied around their necks and wings
Sparrows and pigeons with "decorative trinkets" tied to them have been reported in Wellington.Some of them died of starvation as they were
unable to fly and find food, according to animal welfare group SPCA
Although there have been similar incidents since 2015, there has been a spike in sightings in recent weeks.Authorities believe the birds are
being deliberately "decorated" as the tinsel and bows are tightly and carefully attached, the New Zealand Herald reported
"Many try to pry the foreign objects off their bodies with their beaks and feet, becoming further entangled and preventing them from eating,
With others, the decorations are wrapped so tightly it completely cuts off their blood circulation," SPCA spokesperson Paige Janssen said in
an email to the TheIndianSubcontinent
"Those that do survive and arrive at our centre are always in a very bad state, and are so malnourished and distressed that we have had to
humanely euthanise them," Image copyrightSPCAImage caption
Birds have been found with tinsel and other decorations tied
around their necks or wings
According to Ms Janssen, there have been several reported cases of "decorated" birds since 2015
However the number of sightings increased over the recent Christmas and New Year period
"We received around 30 calls alone just over this period
They were multiple sightings of a dozen birds that are still mobile and flying around the Kilbirnie area [in Wellington's south-east] that
we are unable to reach," she said
SPCA Wellington is looking for the suspect behind this "case of cruelty" and last week put out a plea to the public to come forward with any
information.In a breakthrough on Tuesday, the group rescued seven "decorated" pigeons from a property in Kilbirnie
But the SPCA is continuing its investigation and is still encouraging members of the public to come forward with any information.The
pigeons were found to have been in a "distressed but healthy condition"
Image copyrightSPCAImage caption
Bird found dead with tinsel attached to it
Some of the rescued pigeons
were also painted the same colour as the tinsel tied around them
"One pigeon had quite bright red Christmas tinsel wrapped around its wings and then the top of its head had been painted with red paint as
well as its wings had been tipped with red paint," the New Zealand Herald quoted SPCA regional manager for the central region Ros Alsford as
