I remember reading that Tesla loved his bird as if it were his one true soul mate.
Found the quote now:
>"There was one, a beautiful bird, pure white with light grey tips on its wings; that one was different. It was a female. I had only to wish and call her and she would come flying to me.
I loved that pigeon as a man loves a women, and she loved me. As long as I had her, there was a purpose to my life."
teslauniverse.com/nikola-tesla/quotes/13