ZigZagMarquis 9 #1 June 14, 2013 http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/06/13/intruder-endangered-bird-species-damages-california-community-homes/ California town besieged by endangered birds Published June 13, 2013 Residents of a small California town wish a certain endangered species would make itself scarce. Flocks of California condors have descended upon Bear Valley Springs. Residents, who are allowed to do little to chase them away, say the huge birds peck off roof shingles, damage air conditioners and leave porches coated in droppings. And although the majestic birds, with a wingspan of nine feet, are widely admired, the gated community of about 5,200 about 80 miles north of Los Angeles has seen enough of them. “A lot of people used to think seeing a condor was amazing,” local realtor Beth Hall told FoxNews.com. “After seeing the damage they have done, they have become less popular with people, myself included.” Unfortunately for the residents, the birds are protected by both federal and state law, leaving them almost powerless to take action. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 66 of the remaining 417 condors live in Southern California. The condors caused significant damage on the outside of a rental property of Hall's, leaving her with big repair bills. The worst of it took place on her deck after one of the birds opened and spilled a can of white paint. Other condors tracked the paint all around on the deck, Hall said. Hall also reported that the birds have covered the house in feces, nibbled at the wiring of the air conditioner and ripped off the screens of two sliding doors. “They basically tore the screen to shreds,” Hall said. “They even damaged the frames.” John McCamman of the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife, told FoxNews.com the birds are indeed destructive. “They are just ripping stuff up,” McCamman said. “There was even an allegation that one of them was ripping up somebody’s shingles." The condors have been under federal and state protection for over 40 years, and killing one can result in a fine, prison time, or both. McCamman's teams have been trying to gently coax the birds away. “When the birds are causing damage to people’s property, we try to harass them without harming them,” McCamman said. “We are trying to get them to move along.” McCamman says about half of the Southern California population is visiting Bear Valley Springs for the summer. “We are having a community meeting to brainstorm potential solutions for the problem,” McCamman said. “We are trying to get them to avoid doing things that attract the birds, like not leave puddles of water behind, or leaving food out that they like.” According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the species has become endangered in large part to human activities over the past two centuries. Poison bait, environmental pollutants, and contamination from lead fragments have been major causes of death. Their eggs have also been threatened by growing numbers of ravens that follow the condor’s nesting range. “We are concerned about the negative impact this has on the people," McCamman said. "Our goal is for coexistence.” Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rickjump1 0 #2 June 14, 2013 .......then there was a "story" about a condor that dropped a frozen rabbit that shattered an F-16 canopy (must have been bigger than a frozen chicken). Can't authenticate this pilot BS story, but it sounded good.Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gravitymaster 0 #3 June 14, 2013 Since this is in SC, are these Condors part of the 'Occupy' movement? Sounds like it since the are shitting all over everything. Definitely Liberals. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldwomanc6 60 #4 June 14, 2013 Gravitymaster Since this is in SC, are these Condors part of the 'Occupy' movement? Sounds like it since the are shitting all over everything. Definitely Liberals. And they obviously don't clean up after themselves. lisa WSCR 594 FB 1023 CBDB 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skinnay 0 #5 June 14, 2013 Oh my god! The bird pecked off some roof shingles, chewed the insulation off an air conditioner pipe, and pooped! Who cares that there's only 400 left in the world? kill them! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldwomanc6 60 #6 June 14, 2013 skinnayOh my god! The bird pecked off some roof shingles, chewed the insulation off an air conditioner pipe, and pooped! Who cares that there's only 400 left in the world? kill them! Wouldn't it be more a case of "encourage them to reside elsewhere?" What's wrong with that?lisa WSCR 594 FB 1023 CBDB 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rickjump1 0 #7 June 14, 2013 People will pay to shoot anything. Get them off the endangered species list and offer condor tags (of course you need more than 400). This could be a real money maker: "The Little Condor Gumbo Book".Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 226 #8 June 14, 2013 oldwomanc6***Oh my god! The bird pecked off some roof shingles, chewed the insulation off an air conditioner pipe, and pooped! Who cares that there's only 400 left in the world? kill them! Wouldn't it be more a case of "encourage them to reside elsewhere?" What's wrong with that? So you have already sent the check for all the damage then?I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldwomanc6 60 #9 June 14, 2013 turtlespeed******Oh my god! The bird pecked off some roof shingles, chewed the insulation off an air conditioner pipe, and pooped! Who cares that there's only 400 left in the world? kill them! Wouldn't it be more a case of "encourage them to reside elsewhere?" What's wrong with that? So you have already sent the check for all the damage then? Hey! I'm on the homeowners' side, but I presume that is a fight the owner will have to take up with his/her insurance company. As for future damage, I should hope there would be an avenue for the community to do something to discourage the birds from becoming too familiar in the neighborhood beyond the "Shoo, bird, get off my back porch!" scenario.lisa WSCR 594 FB 1023 CBDB 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 226 #10 June 14, 2013 oldwomanc6 *********Oh my god! The bird pecked off some roof shingles, chewed the insulation off an air conditioner pipe, and pooped! Who cares that there's only 400 left in the world? kill them! Wouldn't it be more a case of "encourage them to reside elsewhere?" What's wrong with that? So you have already sent the check for all the damage then? Hey! I'm on the homeowners' side, but I presume that is a fight the owner will have to take up with his/her insurance company. As for future damage, I should hope there would be an avenue for the community to do something to discourage the birds from becoming too familiar in the neighborhood beyond the "Shoo, bird, get off my back porch!" scenario. They have stuff that does a pretty good job of taking care of that. It seemed to me that you disagreed with the idea of eliminating the problem. It seems fair to me that everyone that disagrees should foot the bill, and pitch in.I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldwomanc6 60 #11 June 14, 2013 I'm not necessarily against acute lead poisoning, but only as a last resort. lisa WSCR 594 FB 1023 CBDB 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 9 #12 June 14, 2013 oldwomanc6 I'm not necessarily against acute lead poisoning, but only as a last resort. no, No, NO!! Haven't you been paying attention!!??! Lead shot is BAD for Condors! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
