Fuck. Who shoots macaws?
Two macaws shot and killed in Coral Gables the other night were likely part of the tribe that came to play in the poinciana trees towering over our backyard each year since we arrived twenty three years ago.
Like us, the macaws are not native. They not only adapted -- after escaping captivity -- they are like family we share with the neighborhood. Everyone sees the macaws, whether we see each other or not. Predictably arriving before the poincianas bloom, seeking out seed pods, and squabbling in ways that feel extraordinarily familiar.
The improbability of macaws gliding above the traffic down US 1, making their homes in Coral Gables suburbia contains a seed of thought; the power of the natural world to sustain and amaze.
News that some asshole shot two macaws might not resonate in gun-stricken and impoverished neighborhoods of Miami. Killing macaws represents another kind of cruelty. Who would do that? Fuck.
2 Macaws Found Shot, Killed in Coral Gables: Police
By Jamie Guirola
NBC Miami
http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/2-Macaws-Found-Shot-Killed-in-Coral-Gables-Police-374029971.html
An investigation is underway in Coral Gables after two macaws were found shot to death, according to police. NBC 6's Jamie Guirola has details on a new reward being offered for information. (Published Wednesday, March 30, 2016)
The macaws, known for their long tails and colorful feathers, were found last week in the 200 block of U.S. 1 just east of Grand Avenue in the median. They may have been nesting in a palm tree, where there were also two babies.
Police said one of the birds was shot in the head and the other in the face. They believe the birds were killed with either a small caliber rifle or BB gun.
"I've been crying all day. It is so incredibly cruel and vile and heinous to shoot these birds down," said Dana Feinstein, who fed the birds every day. "I have names for each group and they were called the 'honeymooners' because they were so noisy."
2 Macaws Found Shot to Death in Coral Gables
Police are investigating after two macaws were found shot to death in Coral Gables.
With no clues on who may be behind the shootings, police hope putting the information out to the public will help generate some leads.
"It's somebody that doesn't have a caring bone. These birds were not doing anything. They're not in a residential area. They're on U.S. 1, they have lived there not bothering anybody. Nobody owns them. They're part of Coral Gables, and I'm just hoping somebody saw something or knows something," said Officer Kelly Denham with CGPD.
Coral Gables is considered a bird sanctuary because of its high bird population. "You can't shoot any bird in the City of Coral Gables," Denham said.
"I have been feeding these birds for at least 15 years and they're gone. Somebody has shot them down and they have broken my heart," said Feinstein, who is putting up cash in hopes somebody with information about who did this will come forward. "I'm offering a $1,000 reward for the arrest of these people that shot down these magnificent creatures.”
If you know anything about this case, you're urged to call Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.
Like us, the macaws are not native. They not only adapted -- after escaping captivity -- they are like family we share with the neighborhood. Everyone sees the macaws, whether we see each other or not. Predictably arriving before the poincianas bloom, seeking out seed pods, and squabbling in ways that feel extraordinarily familiar.
The improbability of macaws gliding above the traffic down US 1, making their homes in Coral Gables suburbia contains a seed of thought; the power of the natural world to sustain and amaze.
News that some asshole shot two macaws might not resonate in gun-stricken and impoverished neighborhoods of Miami. Killing macaws represents another kind of cruelty. Who would do that? Fuck.
2 Macaws Found Shot, Killed in Coral Gables: Police
By Jamie Guirola
NBC Miami
http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/2-Macaws-Found-Shot-Killed-in-Coral-Gables-Police-374029971.html
An investigation is underway in Coral Gables after two macaws were found shot to death, according to police. NBC 6's Jamie Guirola has details on a new reward being offered for information. (Published Wednesday, March 30, 2016)
The macaws, known for their long tails and colorful feathers, were found last week in the 200 block of U.S. 1 just east of Grand Avenue in the median. They may have been nesting in a palm tree, where there were also two babies.
Police said one of the birds was shot in the head and the other in the face. They believe the birds were killed with either a small caliber rifle or BB gun.
"I've been crying all day. It is so incredibly cruel and vile and heinous to shoot these birds down," said Dana Feinstein, who fed the birds every day. "I have names for each group and they were called the 'honeymooners' because they were so noisy."
2 Macaws Found Shot to Death in Coral Gables
Police are investigating after two macaws were found shot to death in Coral Gables.
With no clues on who may be behind the shootings, police hope putting the information out to the public will help generate some leads.
"It's somebody that doesn't have a caring bone. These birds were not doing anything. They're not in a residential area. They're on U.S. 1, they have lived there not bothering anybody. Nobody owns them. They're part of Coral Gables, and I'm just hoping somebody saw something or knows something," said Officer Kelly Denham with CGPD.
Coral Gables is considered a bird sanctuary because of its high bird population. "You can't shoot any bird in the City of Coral Gables," Denham said.
"I have been feeding these birds for at least 15 years and they're gone. Somebody has shot them down and they have broken my heart," said Feinstein, who is putting up cash in hopes somebody with information about who did this will come forward. "I'm offering a $1,000 reward for the arrest of these people that shot down these magnificent creatures.”
If you know anything about this case, you're urged to call Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.
9 comments:
People are evil. Whatever is coming, we deserve.
What is the exact crime, it's not clear in the video or article.
Sad that it's only a cute invasive that gets this kind of attention. Had this been an ugly native bird, even an heron, people wouldn't have cared.
Have you not heard of Santeria sacrifice by Ted Cruz supporters in Miami to assure his nomination?
I have friends living in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area. When visiting, I'm on the lookout for the wild parrots that reside in area neighborhoods. They are a joy to see and hear. The killing of these beautiful birds was senseless, cruel, and so unnecessary.
A while back, my neighborhood had issues with kids with BB guns targeting squirrels and birds. BB guns should be outlawed. They don't belong in the hands of children and young teenagers, and adults have no use for them either.
Too many accidental gun-related injuries and/or killings have occurred over the years. Miami is not the Wild West; open-carry laws are accidents waiting to happen. Gun ownership laws should be tightened.
I routinely end the lives of cane toads with a pellet to the head. Invasive and nasty. I do the same with the knight anoles, another invasive.
Most everyone living in Miami - are or were - from somewhere else. I hope you aren't "trigger happy", Mr. pellet in the head.
There are more good people than bad but the bad ones do much damage. We all shared these birds and that means that they were only protected by a social contract between all of us. Wildlife is only respected when a person respects society and themselves. These exquisite looking birds were targets for being beautiful.
The person who did this is an ecological terrorist .. who must pay with jail ... All people who commit acts unpleasant or injures an animal ... should be treated by the law in the same way that if I did that act with a minor or a child
Cane toads, like Cuban tree frogs have a bad "rep", as a destructive invasive.
Knight anoles are noted to feed on large insects, smaller anoles, nestling birds, and fruits, such as those of the Bo tree (Ficus religiosa) (Brach 1976). Males may exceed 46 cm (18 in) in length) and have huge pink dewlaps, per Florida Fish and Wildlife website.
Regarding the Macaws, the Fish and Wildlife site notes: Threats to natives: Members of the parrot family carry Newcastle disease, identified in 1971, which can infect native songbirds, game birds, domestic chickens and turkeys, and other exotic bird species. The native bird species can be infected by smuggled exotic birds and birds not properly quarantined that are released into the wild. This species also breeds in cavities which might limit the number available to native cavity nesters.
The birds were here for 15 years. If you had concerns, why not report them to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission? Why kill these beautiful birds without first determining their health? I assume this is what the Fish and Wildlife Commission would have done. More than likely, they were quite healthy.
You many be an excellent shot; however, when people start taking "the law" into their own hands, bad things often happen. Other than that, the death of these birds was a senseless and cruel act.
http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/birds/scarlet-macaw/
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