Isabella showed up today alone.
With the heatwave and the state of Rodrigo’s infection, I think he’s gone because they were inseperable, often preening each other and canoodling. Certainly he would have joined her, as he was flying beautifully on Friday and mated with her on the rail, and when I saw them later that evening, he was courting and escorting her as male Pigeons do. That was the last time I saw either of them until Isabella returned today.
When I peeked out from beneath the shade, she saw me and studied me for a moment. She looked a bit thinner than usual and seemed ravenous, more signs to suggest that Rodrigo is gone. If she was mourning, she may have stayed by his body and not eaten for a few days. Like all birds, Pidges have emotions and personalities that affect their behavior and make their relationships as real and as true as any of ours. If Rodrigo is gone, Isabella has known sorrow.
She walked along the concrete on my side of the railing, stopping between each pair of bars for a second before stepping through the widest space at the end and flying off. True to her species, she’s intelligent in ways humans rarely give anyone but themselves credit for. She’s also young and strong, and with that comes resilience. She’ll eventually find a new mate, though it may take some time, and though she has a flock for social interaction, she’s likely coming here to flee from new suitors as much as for food and water. For now she’s doing her best to survive by herself in a world not built for her, but at least she has a haven on my balcony, where I often stand at sunset figuring out how to do the same.
zenzalei 