|
|
Article: Parakeets' High-Rise Nests Stump Miami, Fla.-Area Utility Officials.
- Article from:
- Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
- Article date:
- February 18, 2004
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
By Maya Bell, South Florida Sun-Sentinel Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
Feb. 18--MIAMI -- Demolish their nests, they build them back. Bombard them with lasers, noise or stink bombs, they shrug. Hang scarecrow predators in their midst, they ignore them.
So far, nothing but poison gas has dissuaded the monk parakeet, the state's most prolific and rapidly growing exotic species, from building its giant condo-style nests on power lines and high-voltage substations -- a habit that occasionally triggers outages.
After spending almost $300,000 to encourage the lime-green urbanites to take up residence elsewhere, Florida's largest utility is ...