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SLAUGHETR of Monk Parakeets in Connecticutt!!

4K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  pihlaja 
#1 ·
HERE IS THE ARTICLE



Log on, add your comments, and then send e-mails, please, to the Connecticut Audubon Society and the National Audubon Society which CONDONES this slaughter! Not to mention the USDA which is killing them. :mad:


>> Darien, CT — Friends of Animals, a leading voice for responsible policies for animals, has just served a Complaint against the United Illuminating Co. on behalf of Connecticut’s monk parakeets.

Refugees of the exotic pet trade, monk parakeets have lived freely in Connecticut, mostly in fir trees and oaks, for 30 to 40 years. Dwight G. Smith, who chairs the biology department at Southern Connecticut State University, said the birds — actually small parrots — provide nests for sparrows, finches, and owls, as well as themselves.

But the United Illuminating Co. (UI), an electric utility for southern Connecticut’s New Haven and Bridgeport areas, claims the green birds are a nuisance and a hazard.

With the blessing of the Connecticut Audubon Society and the National Audubon Society, UI has set about killing the birds in a campaign to remove their thatched-stick shelters from utility poles.

Friends of Animals seeks long-term policy change

United Illuminating’s parrot extermination campaign was short-circuited in December, after the company assured the Court it would stop netting the birds and turning them over to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which has been asphyxiating them in carbon dioxide chambers.

“We came out of Court with news of a temporary halt in the roundups and gassings of parakeets,” said Friends of Animals president Priscilla Feral.

“But we need responsible, long-term policies,” Feral explained. “The UI Co. dimmed the lights of holiday cheer in Connecticut. We’re demanding brighter ideas for the future, and, from state policy-makers, less flighty conduct.”

While UI has failed to implement prudent methods of dissuading these birds from nesting upon utility poles, people in the community have risen to the occasion. A platform construction workshop will be held this Saturday (14 Jan.) to show how to make a viable alternative that can keep parrots off poles, yet living and flying free.

Derek V. Oatis, a Manchester lawyer representing Friends of Animals, said, “We’re asking for a judgment declaring that the law requires UI to implement routine maintenance and prevent nesting, and a permanent injunction against the capturing and killing of the monk parakeets.”

Added Priscilla Feral, “Maintaining the public trust requires a redirection of resources from the tormenting of the birds to an enlightened response, one that rejects killing or experimenting on the birds or holding them captive.”

Controversy over the extermination has reached newspapers nationwide, and as far as London, England. And a growing concern for the birds has come from Connecticut legislators, including U.S. Reps. Rosa DeLauro and Christopher Shays, and state Rep. Richard Roy. <<

:mad2::mad2::mad2::mad2::mad2::mad2::mad2:
 
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#4 ·
Non-native, or invasive species have no place in the ecosystem. That is a basic tenet of biology. Although it's not the fault of the birds themselves, they are still destructive and need to be dealt with. The power companies have shown great understanding by looking at alternatives, rather than just exterminating the animals without prejudice, ...as they could have done legally.

I've seen first hand the damage they do to power company equipment in Florida. The damage they do can directly and indirectly cause power outages that can cost tens of thousands of dollars to the power company and affected businesses.

There is no good solution. Wild birds aren't suitable as pets for most people, and there isn't any possibility of relocation. Since the birds are invasive they are humanely euthanized. From an environmental/biological point of view, they are no different from other invasive species like pigeons, European House Finches, Starlings, feral cats ....or fire ants. Because these are parrots, we tend to get all mushy inside when their populations have to be controlled. Same for feral cats, who do billions of dollars to the economy by killing insectivorous birds that aid our agriculture.

It's easy for people to complain about the "inhumanity" of the situation, but they need to look at the realities. These complex issues do need to monitored to make sure the animals are treated humanely. But if there are no better options , folks would do better to spend their energies on situations where education or action might actually help.

bob
 
#5 ·
>> But if there are no better options <<

Are there? Friends of Animals says there are.

>> folks would do better to spend their energies on situations where education or action might actually help. <<

Such as?

Just bringing people's attention to this slaughter is purposeful in that even IF (repeat IF) this needs to be done it will not be done in secret with the animals just "vanishing". Showing regret and sadness over this even IF necessary is a good thing, besides calling people's attention to the issue of non-indigenuous species, be they flora or fauna.
 
#6 ·
Zouave said:
>> But if there are no better options <<

Are there? Friends of Animals says there are.
Actually, no they don't.... unless you consider not doing anything a solution. Friends of animals makes no realistic alternatives. They assume the power companies should just eat the costs of the destruction caused by the birds.

The only arguments I've seen is 1) they say the power companies should upgrade their equipment so it is less vulnerable to parrot damage. This isn't completely possible, and they costs are high, ...and still borne by the power company. 2) that the parrot's nests give nesting habitat to native birds ...which BTW is unsubstantiated by actual science and really makes no difference any ...and 3) the argument that since they've been here for awhile, they should be considered a native species ...another wildly unscientific assertion.

None of those are solutions. They aren't even good arguments they're really just rationalizations, ...and poor ones at that.

Zouave said:
>> folks would do better to spend their energies on situations where education or action might actually help. <<

Such as?
It would be much better if the public were educated as to how the ecosystem works. If there was a better understanding of the problems posed by invasive species, how they affect the native animals we all love, ...there might be less resistance in situations where environmental and ecological scientists have to make hard decisions about these non-native animals.

I think that, given the level of knowledge of the general public, eradicating these invasive species is often best done out of the glare of publicity. Organizations like Friends of the Animals serve a purpose when they are helping animals that need their help. All they are doing here is insinuating that there is something illegal or wrong about getting rid of these parrots. That's not the case here. From all that I've read, the trapping and euthanization are being done humanely.

bob
 
#7 ·
Mygala said:
Actually, no they don't.... unless you consider not doing anything a solution. Friends of animals makes no realistic alternatives. They assume the power companies should just eat the costs of the destruction caused by the birds. . .
What disingenuous nonsense. Looks like someone did not bother reading the FoA article I cited. These are quotes from that article, which is ALMOST ENTIRELY DEVOTED TO SOLUTIONS which appear to be working. And NEVER did the FoA say do nothing.

You did NOT read the article you just made something up based on your own prejudices or perhaps animus to birds. There goes your credibility, and below are the quotes from that article proving what I've just said. Glad I came back here to see what falsehoods you wrote. :mad2:

>> Now, both sides agree, is the time to test non-lethal alternatives to let the parrots live without nesting in the utility poles to which they’ve become attracted in the more than 30 years they have lived in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. <<

>> While a new complaint to permanently cease parrot killing is pending in Superior Court in New Haven — filed last week by the Norwalk-based Friends of Animals — bird lovers hope to develop alternative nesting sites that will attract the parrots away from further confrontations with United Illuminating crews. <<

>> At about 10 a.m. Saturday, in a tall oak tree above this city’s Ocean Drive, a group of about a dozen of the soggy green parrots perched, squawking among themselves. Below, one of the newly designed nests was in place in front of the 451 Ocean Drive home of Julie Cook <<

>> A few doors to the west, a group of bird lovers worked to erect another platform they hope the birds will be more attractive than the poles. <<

>> Down a narrow walk-in easement onto their tiny, Sound-front property at 489 Ocean Drive, Peter Katz and his wife, Storm Somers Katz, were supervising the construction of a platform. <<

>> Later in the afternoon in Fairfield, Johnson led a workshop sponsored by the Friends of Animals, building more parrot nests, which look like a little beach bungalows for the birds. <<

>>
Four southwestern Connecticut homeowners have put up new, alternative nests.
“If we can get people to build their own nests, with their own ideas, the more different presentations we make to them, the better the chance we’ll be able to find out what works,” Johnson said. Part of the utility’s rationale for capturing the birds and turning them over to USDA crews from killing in carbon dioxide gas chambers, is their tenacity. <<


>> Albert Carbone, UI’s spokesman, said Friday the company won’t comment on the latest lawsuit, but restated a corporate willingness to work toward a method to keep the poles clear of bird nests without killing them. <<


>> “We have to get UI to do a really aggressive maintenance program throughout the spring and into the summer, particularly during the breeding season, so the birds aren’t allowed to build even a small nest,” Johnson said. The next thing Johnson things that UI crews could rig up powerful leaf blowers, hoisted aloft in cherry pickers, to regularity visit the nests twice a week or more <<


>> Priscilla Feral, president of the FOA, said last week that early anecdotal evidence is at least slightly encouraging.“What I’m hearing is some parakeets are showing up at platforms,” Feral said. “They’re congregating and eating, but the question is whether they’ll stay. If the new perches are literally across the street from UI’s tear downs, we’re anticipating the survivors, the escapees, to maybe relocate there. <<


>> I think the Friends of Animals make some good points in that UI could and should do things differently to protect the birds,” (State rep.) Roy said. “We have suggested, and UI is studying, putting out more crews to observe the birds and if they see three sticks together, to knock them down.” Then, the parrots may eventually learn to build their homes in trees or the new platforms. <<
 
#8 ·
Zouave said:
What disingenuous nonsense. Looks like someone did not bother reading the FoA article I cited. These are quotes from that article, which is ALMOST ENTIRELY DEVOTED TO SOLUTIONS which appear to be working. And NEVER did the FoA say do nothing.
Excuse me for knowing a little more about that problem than, apparently, you do, or the article reveals....

I did read the article, I just took it for what it was. A glimpse of the problem from the perspective of Friends of the Animals. Not entirely the whole picture. Power companies in Florida, Illinois and California have been working to deal with damage caused by Quakers for quite some time. The alternatives suggested (alternative nest sites, aggressive maintenance) have already been tried with very limited success. Just ask Florida Power and Light. Although, there are ameliorating factors in some of the other states, such as the birds preference for nesting in some palm trees.) Man-made, alternative nest sites haven't attacted the birds who are habituated to nesting on power equipement.

What Friends of the Animals has suggested are not really solutions, they are just saying stop. The alternatives they have suggested have already been shown in other states not to be particularly effective, ...unless they are combined with a program of depopulation of the invasive species. They haven't suggested anything that hasn't been tried before, if you call that a "solution", fine.

What FOA has proposed still means that the birds nests will still be destroyed, captured birds will still be euthanized, and (as you quoted) alternative nest sites set up for "the survivors, the escapees, to maybe relocate there." Any extra costs will be borne by the utilities. Historically, that hasn't gone very far once the light of publicity shines somewhere else....

I should have stated "realistic" proposals in my earlier posting.

And you should read up on the history of this problem and not believe everything you read on the internet. Especially when it comes from sites aren't news organizations, and have very specific agendas concerning the subject matter. On this issue FOA cant' be trusted to impartial in their point of view. That could be called "disengenuous" as you say.

bob
 
#9 ·
I have no more time for this.

You said FoA wants to do nothing, or just wants the Power compnay to eats its loses. But the FoA article IN FACT was almost entirely about possible solutions that different parties were willing to at least try; even the Power company is. These were initial attempts only and no final judgments on their efficacy can be made; they have already shown some limited success.

What you claimed was false. Anyone who reads this can make up their own minds, if they read the article. End of story. Bye.
 
#11 ·
Unfornately, something must be done about invasive species. Yes, the birds are cute, but they are not native nor will they ever be.

If you want a good look at the damage invasive species can do--not just to a business but to native wildlife--take a look at Australia. Introductions like the cane toad, European wild rabbit and red fox are DESTROYING the ecosystem in Australia. Native animals that were once plentiful and flourishing now are facing extinction because of the introduction of non-native species.

Zouave, I'm sorry you had to get upset over Bob's differing opinion, but his points are very valid. Invasive species DO destroy ecosystems. It is very sad that the problem has come to a point where the birds need to be culled, but I feel that if people spent more energy educating the public about the dangers of invasive species, problems like this could be prevented before they even start.

As animal lovers it is sometimes hard to be impartial, but as human beings we have the power to prevent OR destroy. However, as human beings, we should make it our sole responsibilty to restore what damage we have done and PREVENT damage we COULD have done from happening.

It simply is not fair to the native species of North America to let these birds invade their habitat when there is no concrete evidence that these birds are beneficial to the ecosystem they have invaded. :(
 
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