In broad daylight, pedestrians, cyclists and even scooter drivers were attacked along the restaurants and shops on Miami Beach’s 41st Street Strip.
The culprits: aggressive birds.
Boat tails nesting in the palm trees above the sidewalk on Arthur Godfrey Road have been appearing at the forefront of passers-by in recent weeks, including a woman pushing a stroller. Large signs between Royal Palm and Sheridan Avenue – where most of the recent attacks have been reported – warn of the birds’ “aggressive behavior”.
The Grackeln are a nationally protected species of migratory bird, and the city is prohibited by law from moving or destroying their active nests. To fend off the land birds, the town hall has enlisted the services of a falcon guide and hung a string of silver tinsel to keep the birds in their palms and away from their targets below, some of which have resorted to their cover on heads with a plastic bag or storage containers.
“Nobody wants to hurt the birds. Nobody wants to hurt their babies, ”said Brenda Klein, a Mid Beach resident, who said she was attacked about two weeks ago. “But on the other hand, we don’t want to be hurt.”
Master falconer Frederick Ottoway is photographed with a falcon on 41st Street in Miami Beach to convince nesting birds to stay away from pedestrians. Courtesy of the Miami Herald
The city is spending $ 135 an hour to hire a master falconer to patrol the area 8 hours a week since April 9, along with a 3-year-old hybrid falcon named Chop, city spokeswoman Melissa Berthier said.
“While we cannot control the current aggressive behavior of the birds on Corridor 41 Street, we take this matter and the safety of our residents and visitors seriously,” she wrote in an email. “We hired an industry professional to develop a presence with birds of prey.”
The city plans to keep the falconer on site until the end of the month when the baby birds are due to leave the nest.
Falconer Frederick Ottoway, president of the bird protection company WingOver Inc, said in an interview that the black birds attacked pedestrians because they are territorial and defending their nests. The hawk’s presence will help convince them to stay in the trees where it is safe, he said.
“They protect their babies like any other creature,” he said.
The birds can also look for nest materials. On April 10, Ottoway saw a hog fall to tear the hair out of a person’s head, he wrote in a progress report submitted to the city. The next day, he hung wig hair on a tree and a lamp post to offer to the birds.
By last Saturday, wrote Ottoway, the baby birds had hatched. He wrote that they should leave the nest by next Tuesday.
A master falconer, hired by the City of Miami Beach to protect residents from aggressive breeding birds, watched birds feed behind a sandwich shop on 41st Street, which will exacerbate the area’s bird problems. Wingover Inc.
He noticed someone was feeding the local birds behind a nearby sandwich shop, and recommended to speak to the business owner. He also recommended pruning the palm trees in front of The Forge restaurant to prevent future nesting.
“The city of Miami Beach has taken care of the safety of its residents and has shown compassion for its wildlife, but sometimes we have to let nature take its course in these matters,” he wrote.
There have been reports of aggressive breeding birds in recent years, but Berthier said this was the first time the city had hired a falconer in recent years. Last year the Sunset Harbor Neighborhood Association hired a falconer to deal with “pesky birds,” she said.
After being attacked by the birds, Klein, a Mid Beach resident, said she had repeatedly complained to the city and has since filmed multiple attacks on others using her cell phone.
Klein, 51, said using the hawk was only a short-term solution and the city should try to stop birds from building their nests in the palm trees.
“It works for the time you are here,” she said of the hawk solution. “Ten minutes after he left – because I was watching – they’re attacking again.”
Signs along 41st Street in Miami Beach warn the public that breeding birds may act aggressively. Residents have reported being attacked by birds in recent weeks. Martin Vassolo Miami Herald
Klein said a bird attack could just be a nuisance to some. But for an elderly person or someone who rides a bike in traffic, this could prove more dangerous.
Lourdes Ravelo, a 38-year-old Mid Beach resident, said the black birds themselves weren’t dangerous, but could be “annoying” to be attacked – and they could potentially cause a traffic accident. She said she was comfortable with the city’s handling of the disorder. The thought of having a hawk around to protect her made her unique, she said.
When Ravelo saw Ottoway patrolling the area on Saturday, she said she took a picture. It was her first time seeing a hawk in person and she said she was excited.
“I think the hawk is great,” she said. “I think he’s great.”
Martin Vassolo reports on Miami Beach politics and government for the Miami Herald. He started working for the Herald in January 2018 after attending the University of Florida where he served as editor-in-chief of The Independent Florida Alligator. He previously worked as a general reporter at the Herald’s subway counter and as an intern in political reporting.
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