'Bird lady,' 89, told to reduce size of her flock

[November 26, 2008]  TAYLOR, Mich. (AP) -- An 89-year-old woman has avoided fines for complaints about her bird collection but must cut the size of her flock. Margaret Molnar must reduce her stock of chickens, quail, roosters and pheasants to 16 from about 80 within 30 days under an agreement reached last week.

Neighbors and city officials had complained that the birds attract rats.

The agreement also stipulates that exterminators must visit the property monthly, and the entire flock will be removed upon Molnar's death.

Molnar has a license to care for her birds. She faced similar complaints in 2000, when her birds were seized and her pens were bulldozed.

The cages later were rebuilt with deeper fences to deter rodents.

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Information from: The Detroit News, http://www.detnews.com/

[Associated Press]

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