Ailing Swan Rides NYC Subway With Good Samaritans On Way To Getting Help

How one swan brought strangers together

A New York City swan went for quite the journey last week including a ride on the subway.

The beautiful bird rescuers are now calling, “Bae,” is recovering at The Wild Bird Fund on the Upper Westside of NYC.

A former employee of the rescue center came across the bird in distress Thursday at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.

Because she has experience with birds, Ariel Cordova Rojas told NBCNewYork that she knew you have to be very careful when approaching a swan.

Not so simple to help

“You cannot simply walk up to a swan and expect them to be OK,” said Rojas. “They’re going to try to bite, they’re going to try to make some wing motion to get you away from them, but she didn’t do that.”

Rojas was able to wrap the swan up in her jacket.

The big question was how was she going to get the bird more than 20 miles away, especially since she was there on her bike.

What ensued, the journey, the way other random strangers stepped up to help Rojas and Bae get across town, including that subway ride is a wonderful example of what can happen when folks work together for a common cause of kindness.

All image credits courtesy of Ariel Cordova Rojas.