Hostile Grackles [birds] Attack People in Houston

My Way News ^ | May 18, 2005

[Asphalt]

HOUSTON (AP) - Like a scene from the horror movie "The Birds," large black grackles are swooping down on downtown Houston and attacking people's heads, hair and backs.

Authorities closed off a sidewalk after the aggressive birds, which can have 2-foot wingspans, flew out of magnolia trees Monday in front of the County Administration Building.

"They were just going crazy," said constable Wilbert Jue, who works at the building. "They were attacking everybody that walked by."

The grackles zeroed in on a lawyer who shooed a bird away before he tripped and injured his face, Jue said. The lawyer was treated for several cuts.

It appears that the birds are protecting their offspring. On Monday a young grackle had fallen out of its nest and adult birds attacked people who got too close, Jue said.

Another bird attacked a deputy county clerk.

"I hit him with a bottle," said Sylvia Velasquez. "The other birds came, and one attacked my blouse and on my back."

Two women came to help her after she fell to the ground, and the birds attacked them as well. The group escaped by running into the building.

"This is a very Hitchcock kind of story. Very Tippi Hedren," said downtown worker Laura Aranda Smith, referring to one of the stars of Alfred Hitchcock's move "The Birds."

[Asphalt]

Dang

[Asphalt]

deserving of a ping?

[Arrowhead1952]

Get one of these air rifles in a .22 caliber. They don't stand a chance.

[cowboyway]

They're actually Purple Grackles.

Purple Grackle

[cripplecreek]

Grackle Jihad!!!!

[MeanWestTexan]

I used a tennis racket on some grackles in Houston once.

Nasty crow-like birds. Like to hang out in parking lots and eat food scraps.

Look like crows; act like sea gulls with an attitude.

[Sax]

..And made off with my Bud Light!

[TheBigB]

The grackles zeroed in on a lawyer

So what's the problem?

[reagan_fanatic]

Works in three easy steps

Snap
Grackle
POP!

[hiredhand]

Hmmmm...let's look at this problem realistically. It's in the city, so firearms, and projectile weapons in general are probably OUT of the question.

The birds are aggressive and have no problem getting up close to humans.

So far, nobody has been seriously harmed by them.

This sounds like a job for a dozen 11 year old boys armed with tennis rackets!

Yep....that's the ticket. :-) I'll bet the kids could kill most of them in less than an hour.

My brother smacked an aggressive Blue Jay with a tennis racket when we were growing up. It was a direct, and STRONG hit. The bird lauched across the grass 40 yards away from the cloud of feathers which my brother was standing in as a result of accelerating the bird so quickly. Needless to say, Birdy Boy didn't survive. :-)

[blues_guitarist]

"Grackle Jihad!!!!"

Alright, what lie did Newsweak print invoving Grackles?

[Charles Martel]

Years ago, I saw some of those birds pounce on an unsuspecting kid's french fries at DisneyWorld. Grackles lurk around all of the outdoor dining areas, and the "Please don't feed the birds" signs are useless - the birds are quite willing to help themselves to what's on your plate.

[ArrogantBustard]

Heads up! Might want to carry your sword for next few days...

[BikerNYC]

Hostile Grackles [birds] Attack People in Houston

They probably deserved it.

[Fester Chugabrew]

The grackles zeroed in on a lawyer . . .

From one vulture to another. Smart birds.

[Graymatter]

"This is a very Hitchcock kind of story. Very Tippi Hedren," said downtown worker...

Very adverb abuse. Very 21st C. Very annoyance.

[TheBigB]

*LOL*

[Adrastus]

I can see it all now, "Lawyer sues Grackle for damages."

I did have something similar happen in my back yard. Because of the neighborhood I live in I couldn't resort to the air rifle solution. I used an old tennis racket from my store room to bring down three of the wretched things. It was a very satisfactory result and I reccommend it to anyone with a Grackle problem.(Aside from that I found that my forehand was still quite serviceable.)

[Arrowhead1952]

I have a .177 and that thing will also take care of the grackles. There have been quite a few that left my property in the garbage can.

[GSlob]

The problem is that they tried pecking the lawyer instead of dive-bomber defecation.