Another day in Florida, another crazy wildlife story.
On Tuesday night, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office began receiving phone calls from drivers who said that white doves were wreaking havoc on an exit along Interstate 95.
After state troopers, sheriff’s deputies and animal control workers went to the scene, they found that a crate of 100 homing pigeons had fallen off a truck.
As we all learned from G.I. Joe, knowing is only half the battle. The issue of how to move the birds from the exit was a tough one. The pigeons steadfastly refused to move, as they roost at night. The bright lights of cars were startling the settled pigeons, causing them to fly at oncoming traffic. Workers and law enforcement had no choice but to close the exit for three hours while they captured the confused birds.
Authorities were able to rescue 73 pigeons, but the birds weren’t banded so their owner is unknown, per the Associated Press.
–
Stay on top of Central Florida news and views with our weekly newsletters, and consider supporting this free publication. Our small but mighty team is working tirelessly to bring you Central Florida news, and every little bit helps.
This article appears in Jun 30 – Jul 6, 2021.