Looks like one of the cassowaries that run after me in Far Cry 3:
One neighbor said he hasn’t heard the bird, but another said it has awoken her many times. The two both counted noise among their concerns about the animal. The Powells say it only makes a whistling sound like a robin, but Knappe said he read females make a drumming sound like bongos and males sound like a pig.
The two said they’re concerned about the smell from Zazu’s droppings, especially as the bird matures and the weather warms, though they said they haven’t smelled it yet.
Board of Zoning Appeals member Roger Malouf was skeptical that the smell will become a problem if it isn’t one already.”
“A 6-foot bird poops a lot, though,” he said. “I think if it was pooping around me, I would know about it.”
In a time when it’s all bad news and bad weather, this light-hearted story is enjoyable. Please take time to read the article at the link AND especially the comments from the locals. Really too funny. I wouldn’t mind having an emu myself! They seem like a rather cool pet.
Awwww....looks like the comments have been removed. They were getting rather nasty with folks raking one another over the coals due to a BIRD in the neighborhood.
Now I want an emu.
The complaints sound manufactured, considering there is a six foot closed board fence rather than some type of mesh fencing.
Emus mate for life, and this bird is probably lonely. It will never find a mate living in someone’s back yard. They can definitely be aggressive. (I have friends who raise them.)
found another article from a local paper with comments from the owners and a few neighbors...
http://www.wsls.com/story/24665107/roanoke-family-fights-to-keep-pet-emu
A six foot ugly azz bird, that is kewel as hell, poops about as much as a 25# turkey.
I have herds of them things digging uo the lawn in springtime .
I spend a couple weeks hosing their patooties down the sewer.
S not suh bad and I have no idea what it smells be like.
My sense is yer gonna have go on patrol for land mines, about the size of tootsie rolls once a week, as you would with a dog.
Whiners
Lucky it ain’t a female and male peacock. Them things is beautiful but, noisy as hell.
IOW, the busy body neighbors are basing their case on maybes and what ifs. If I were on the council, I’d raise their property taxes for bothering the council with such nonsense.