Thousands of parrots “invaded” the city of Hilario Askasubi Argentinenear the Atlantic coast.
Parrots in green, red and yellow arrived in the city due to the deforestation of the surrounding hills, according to biologists. But they are created problems.
They bite through the city’s electrical wires, causing power outages and driving residents to despair with their shrill screams and the fact that they limp everywhere.
“The slopes are disappearing and this leads them to move closer to cities in search of food, shelter and water,” said biologist Diana Lera, explaining that much of Argentina’s forested land has been gradually lost in recent years.
In #Argentinathe small town of Hilario Ascasubi is suffering from a parrot infestation. Birds are attacking the city because of deforestation. They have already occupied wires, trees and house roofs. Local residents are terrified.
The images show hundreds of birds perched… pic.twitter.com/8ccLCNCvd2
-NEXTA (@nexta_tv) September 30, 2024
10 parrots per city resident
A few years ago, parrots began arriving in the city looking for shelter for the autumn and winter. Sometimes, according to local residents, there are up to 10 parrots for each of the city’s 5 thousand residents. During the summer, the birds migrate south to the Patagonian hills for breeding season.
They are recorded in images that have seen the light of day hundreds of birds perched along power lines and poles or their shadow can be seen at dusk as they gather in buildings and a church, a setting reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic 1963 thriller The Birds.
“They bite and damage the cables, water can enter when it rains and transmission is interrupted. These parrots create costs and problems for us every day,” said Ramon Alvarez, local journalist for the Radio Taxi Fm network.
Residents try to keep the parrots away
The townspeople tried various ways to scare them away, such as making noise or using lasers, but nothing worked.
“We need to start restoring our natural environment,” said Lera.
“But until that happens, we need to think about strategies that allow us to live together as harmoniously as possible within our cities.”
Sources: AMPE, Reuters
