:Joe the Pigeon
{{EngvarB|date=February 2021}}
{{short description|Pigeon in Australia}}
{{about|the pardoned pigeon in Australia|the American military pigeon|G.I. Joe (pigeon)}}
{{Infobox animal
| name = Joe
| image = File:Joe_the_Pigeon.jpeg
| caption = Joe the Pigeon
| species = Domestic pigeon
| breed = Turkish tumbler
| gender = Male
| nationality = Australia
| namedafter = Joe Biden
}}
Joe the Pigeon is a tumbler pigeon found in Melbourne, Australia and named after Joe Biden, who at the time was President-elect of the United States. According to initial reports, the pigeon was believed to have flown {{convert|13000|km|mi}} from Oregon to Melbourne in December 2020. The pigeon was identified based on a leg ring that matched that of a racing pigeon from Oregon that had disappeared two months earlier, though the ring was later found to be counterfeit. The pigeon was scheduled to be euthanised as a biosecurity risk, but was released by the Australian government after being determined unlikely to be of foreign origin.
Discovery and confinement
The pigeon was first noticed by Kevin Celli-Bird, a resident of Melbourne, Australia, when he saw the pigeon, "very weak and in an emaciated state", in his backyard on December 26, 2020.{{cite web |last1=Zhuang |first1=Yan |title=Joe the Pigeon Is Spared the Death Sentence in Australia |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/15/world/australia/joe-pigeon.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=21 January 2021 |date=15 January 2021}} While feeding Joe in an attempt to revitalise him, Celli-Bird noticed a ring on Joe's leg.{{cite web |last1=Foster |first1=Ally |title=Twist in bid to save Joe the pigeon that was thought to have flown from the US to Aus |url=https://www.news.com.au/technology/science/animals/fears-us-racing-pigeon-that-flew-to-aus-could-pose-biosecurity-risk/news-story/9b8c6fed090bbfb142af71a9dcb35a95 |website=news.com.au |access-date=21 January 2021 |language=en |date=14 January 2021}} Celli-Bird traced the tag to an owner in Alabama who had last seen the bird after it flew off from a race in Oregon.{{cite web |title=Joe the pigeon spared by Australia after leg tag found to be fake |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-55667045 |website=BBC News |access-date=21 January 2021 |date=15 January 2021}} The pigeon was named 'Joe' by Celli-Bird after Joe Biden, due to the bird's alleged journey beginning in the United States.{{cite web |title=Australia to kill US pigeon that crossed Pacific |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-55660592 |website=BBC News |access-date=21 January 2021 |date=14 January 2021}} It was speculated that Joe had crossed the distance on a container ship, as flying the {{convert|13000|km|mi}} from Oregon to Melbourne would have beaten the previous record for the longest bird flight at {{convert|12000|km|mi}}.{{cite web |last1=Pappas |first1=Stephanie |title='Joe the Pigeon' gets reprieve from death, after leg band found to be fake |url=https://www.livescience.com/joe-the-pigeon-gets-reprieve.html |website=LiveScience |access-date=21 January 2021 |language=en |date=16 January 2021}}
Celli-Bird was contacted by the Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment after Joe the Pigeon received press coverage in Australian media.{{cite web |last1=Webb |first1=Carolyn |title='It got totally out of control': the pigeon that won hearts globally |url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/it-got-totally-out-of-control-the-pigeon-that-won-hearts-globally-20210118-p56v0e.html |website=The Age |access-date=21 January 2021 |language=en |date=18 January 2021}} The Department stated that the pigeon would have to be captured and euthanised as a disease risk, which led to outcry against the Australian government.{{cite web |title=Explained: Why Australia has declared Joe the pigeon a biosecurity risk |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/joe-pigeon-australia-biosecurity-risk-7147558/ |website=The Indian Express |access-date=21 January 2021 |language=en |date=19 January 2021}} Deputy Prime Minister of Australia Michael McCormack called the incident "bad luck", saying "If Joe has come in a way that has not met our strict biosecurity measures, then bad luck Joe, either fly home or face the consequences."{{cite web |last1=McGuirk |first1=Rod |title=Fake US leg band gets pigeon a reprieve in Australia |url=https://apnews.com/article/australia-joe-the-pigeon-faae5a66c336c8b2dc902b1ed4270345 |website=AP News |publisher=Associated Press |access-date=21 January 2021 |date=14 January 2021}} Politicians Andy Meddick and Martin Foley called for Joe to be quarantined instead of euthanised, with Meddick calling for the federal government to "take Joe off death row".{{cite web |last1=Boseley |first1=Matilda |title=Joe the pigeon's life spared after fake leg tag shows he's not from US |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/15/joe-the-pigeons-life-may-be-spared-after-fake-leg-tag-suggests-hes-not-from-the-us |website=The Guardian |access-date=21 January 2021 |language=en |date=15 January 2021}}
Release
Deone Roberts of the American Racing Pigeon Union stated on January 15, 2021, that the leg ring found on Joe was "counterfeit and not traceable". It was revealed that Joe is a Turkish tumbler, a breed bred for mid-air tricks rather than long-distance flight. After an investigation, the Department stated that "Joe the Pigeon is highly likely to be Australian and does not present a biosecurity risk", granting him a pardon.{{cite web |last1=Guzman |first1=Joseph |title=Joe the pigeon will live after it's discovered he's likely an Aussie |url=https://thehill.com/changing-america/sustainability/environment/534448-joe-the-pigeon-will-live-after-its-discovered-hes |website=The Hill |access-date=21 January 2021 |language=en |date=15 January 2021}} Celli-Bird stated that he has bought birdseed for Joe to eat, saying "as long as he's happy to stay there I'll let him stay and if he chooses to fly off, he can do that too."