Kay is an artist, content creator and lifelong animal lover from North East England, with a particular soft spot for the underdog. She has always been drawn to animals that are overlooked or misunderstood, especially birds. Over the years, this has included rescuing house sparrows, befriending local magpies and raising budgies.

Despite this lifelong affinity with birds, Kay had never paid much attention to pigeons. That changed when she spotted a tiny, drenched bird standing among traffic. The young pigeon was emaciated and unwell, with infections in both eyes, and was later found to be deaf and mute. Kay’s children named him Croissant.

Helping Croissant recover became Kay’s first real introduction to pigeons. As she learned how to care for him, she also discovered how clever, affectionate and deeply individual pigeons can be. What began as one unexpected rescue quickly became a full-blown fascination with pigeon behaviour, history and welfare.

Kay went on to create CroissantPigeon, an online project that uses original artwork, humour and accessible science to challenge the myths surrounding pigeons. Her work encourages people to look more closely at the wildlife living alongside us, particularly the animals we dismiss as ordinary, inconvenient or unwanted.

Since meeting Croissant, Kay has also become involved in rescuing and rehabilitating pigeons herself. She has hand-reared young birds, supported sick and injured pigeons, and become part of a generous network of experienced rehabbers who continue to share their knowledge with her. Each new arrival has brought a fresh learning curve, a distinct personality and usually a considerable amount of shouting.

Kay remains especially fond of misunderstood wildlife and still has a habit of becoming emotionally invested in miscellaneous birds. In many ways, nothing has changed.