A pigeon was rescued from the sea by lifeboat volunteers during a training exercise last week.
RNLI Penarth crew spotted the bird struggling in the sea and quickly brought it onboard their Atlantic 85 lifeboat on Saturday, August 1.
Their crew included volunteer Dave Deane, a highly experienced vet, who examined the pigeon for injuries, and returned the bird to a safe location on shore.
The lifeboat crew continued their exercise, and when they returned to the station they were pleased to see that the seagull had fully recovered from its ordeal.
A spokesperson for RNLI Penarth Lifeboat Station said: "We don't only rescue people! While on exercise this morning our crew noticed a young pigeon struggling to stay afloat in the sea.
"The casualty was quickly recovered to the Atlantic 85 and was extremely fortunate that our crew included Dave Deane, a highly experienced vet, as one of our volunteers aboard!
"Dave carried out an examination for injuries and returned the bird to a safe location on shore.
"We continued on our exercise, and we're pleased to report that on returning to the station our feathered friend had fully recovered from its ordeal.
"Not one of our usual shouts, but we're pleased all the same that this had a positive outcome".
While it wasn't a typical shout for the lifeboat crew, they were very pleased with the positive outcome.
Pigeons are a familiar part of daily life in Penarth, where they can often be seen around the town centre, Esplanade, parks and seafront.
While they are sometimes overlooked, pigeons play an important role in the urban environment by helping to disperse seeds and serving as part of the local food chain.
Like many birds, they face threats from pollution, litter, vehicle collisions and disease, as well as injuries caused by entanglement in discarded string, netting and fishing line.
Rescuing injured or distressed pigeons is important because it helps prevent unnecessary suffering and supports local wildlife welfare.
Wildlife rescuers and volunteers regularly care for sick or injured birds, giving them the best chance of recovery and release back into their natural surroundings.
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