Toronto taxi driver hailed as hero for rescuing pigeon from traffic

Not all heroes wear capes and not all pigeons are inclined to fly (though, ironically, pigeons have been spotted wearing capes in Toronto.)

The actions of a local cab driver who saved one such bird from harm are being hailed around the city today as video footage circulates of his daring on-street pigeon rescue.

Filmed by TikTok user Marlenka Aidos and uploaded to the social media platform last Thursday, the clip in question shows a Beck Taxi driver named Mr. Uthralingkam stopping his vehicle on Bay street, just south of Yorkville Avenue, while a pigeon bumbles around in front of the car.

Without even blocking the bike lane, the driver gets out of the car and walks toward the pigeon, who appears to be pecking at something on the road.

The bird, for whatever reason, walks straight up to Uthralingkam, who puts on gloves and scoops it up in his hands as someone in the background shouts "hero!"

The taxi driver expertly transports the pigeon across three lanes of traffic and sets it down on the sidewalk outside Pusateri's. He then walks back across the street, gets in his cab and drives away.

A taxi driver was spotted getting out of his car to help a pigeon cross the street in Toronto - 📹 Marlenka Aidos https://t.co/hZ000BrQMc #Toronto #ourcommunityTO pic.twitter.com/z53qkA5tYQ

— blogTO (@blogTO) November 25, 2020

"Hello Mr. Pigeon!" says Aidos in the clip from behind the camera while zooming in on the friendly bird. "Happy to be alive today?"

The pretty lil' pidgey simply walks around and bobs its head, seemingly unharmed and in good spirits.

Similar to that man on a segway who rescued a Toronto raccoon from the dangers of traffic in late October, Uthralingkam is being praised all over the web for taking time from his day to help keep a vulnerable creature safe.

"Great job!" wrote one commenter on a copy of the video posted to blogTO's Facebook page Tuesday night. "He definitely wins the 2020 humanity award in my book. God bless you and your family."

"The world definitely needs more humans like him," wrote another, echoing a popular sentiment among commenters on versions of this video all over the internet.

"Not all of us can do great things," pointed out one commenter. "But we can do small things with great love."