i assume your intentions were good, but... i think you could've at least come up with a solution less disturbing than to smash a dying bird with a rock. like, maybe remove the violence and just have the player place flowers thoughtfully until the bird passes on, at peace.
Sometimes what feels better or nicer for you is not the best for the person that is suffering and that you're trying to help, and when I made this game I tried to convey this bitter realization with a visyal metaphor that felt crushing in the same way. I get what you mean though, the violence card can easily feel cheap- But I still stand for it, since a well chosen image can convey more and make things feel more visceral than all the words I could ever think to put together. Thank you for your comment, I'm genuinely glad that people still have thoughts about this little experiment :)