Avian Action is a concept for a non-profit based in Washington DC that advocates for the feral pigeon population. The overall goal of this organization is to foster understanding for pigeons beyond just seeing them as vermin or nuisances and make the city safer for all birds via educating the public. In order to do so, they engage in community outreach such as promotional flyers and popup events. One of their primary operations is a rescue that cares for injured and disoriented birds in hopes of releasing them back into their habitat. To fund their work, Avian Action relies on donations and sales of cruelty-free birdproofing equipment from their online storefront.

We sought to develop a unique, memorable identity for the rescue that felt approachable and not overwhelming or harsh. It was also incredibly important to humanize pigeons and make their depictions feel personal, but not to the degree of anthropomorphizing them. In order to establish Avian Action as a community-focused, grassroots movement, the visuals nod to zine and urban art culture with the use of halftones, paper-cutout effects, and analog-style typewriter-inspired fonts. The warm and cool contrast of the color palette creates eye-catching, but not intimidating energy. Photographs are combined with hand-drawn elements create a playfulness and add a bit of humor without being overly cartoony.

Print collateral such as flyers and stickers were designed to be recognizable from anywhere on the street, helping to get Avian Action’s name out there and establish them as the first place the community should think of when they encounter an injured bird.