Cockatoo Madness
Flocks of cockatoos have been attacking the lights that illuminate the Melbourne Arts Center in Australia. So authorities have brought in a new sheriff to try and tame the unruly birds: an eagle named Zorro.
Staff at a Melbourne landmark have resorted to unusual methods to try to prevent damage to their building - a wedge-tailed eagle called Zorro.
They hope Zorro's presence on the roof of the city's Arts Centre will scare away white cockatoos that have been attacking its iconic tower.
The flocks of cockatoos have been pecking at the tiny lights that illuminate the 163-metre spire.
So far they have caused more than US$63,000 (£32,000) worth of damage.
Zorro will also be joined by a peregrine falcon named Bibi and the two birds will be brought to the building every day for the next six weeks as a trial.
"Cockatoos are part of their prey, so it's a natural solution," Arts Centre spokesman Jeremy Vincent told the French news agency AFP.
"The cockatoos aren't hurt, because the predators are tethered to the building, but their presence on the building acts as a deterrent."
So they avoid "cruelty" to the cockatoos by inflicting cruelty on the raptors? Dangling juicy morsels of finger - er - talon food just out of reach? Tethering the birds of prey is a kinder, gentler solution? Sometimes the Disneyfication of the animal world makes no sense at all.
By NortonPete, Friday, 15 February , 2008 @ 10:17 am
Why don’t they just "pay" them off. Plant whatever a Cockatoo would rather eat nearby and make a deal with them. Those are smart birds and they will soon figure out the plight of the raptors
By Mockinbird, Friday, 15 February , 2008 @ 12:46 pm
It’s time to call Cockatoo Dundee!
By Uncle Pinky, Friday, 15 February , 2008 @ 7:18 pm
Tethering a healthy peregrine is, of course, an abomination. They are truly astonishing creatures. Free Zorro and Bibi! If they don’t come back, they never really loved those handlers in the first place.