Politician tries to protect NYC's pesky parrots

[December 22, 2008]  NEW YORK (AP) -- Polly want a New York City Council resolution? A Queens politician is drafting measures to protect Brooklyn's wild Quaker parrots, whose nests have caused power outages. Councilman Tony Avella wants to make it illegal to capture the parrots and wants the city to relocate their nests when necessary.

The green parrots also are known as monk parakeets. They're native to Argentina but have been in Brooklyn for about 30 years. Flocks of them have settled at Brooklyn College.

The utility Consolidated Edison says parrot nests built in electrical equipment have caused at least seven fires in Brooklyn.

Residents whose homes lost power say the birds don't belong there.

Animal lovers say the parrots are part of the neighborhood and bring life to the skies.

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Information from: Daily News, http://www.nydailynews.com/

[Associated Press]

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