For nearly three weeks, residents of North Texas neighborhoods have stood guard along their property lines, scanning the treetops for incoming migratory egrets.
“We want to catch them before they approach,” one resident in the Park Glen neighborhood of Fort Worth told WFAA, describing the community effort to keep the birds from claiming the trees for another nesting season.
The group springs into action at the first sign of a scout bird, blasting air horns, banging boards, and making as much noise as possible to drive them away. Once an egret nests and lays an egg, federal law protects the nest and its contents, making removal far more difficult.
“I think we’re approaching 20 days that we’ve been out here,” said Kelly Rybarczyk, a Park Glen resident, per WFAA. “At some point, it gets really unmanageable.”
Last year, roughly 1,000 egrets descended on the area near Teal Drive and Navajo Way. Nests filled nearly every branch. Birds fell from the trees and decomposed on the ground. The buildup of droppings proved destructive to homes.
“It will curl your shingles, it will warp your rafters — you’re probably going to have to replace the roof,” said resident Rick Sharon, per WFAA. “In this neighborhood, that’s about a $15,000 expense.”
The trees belong to the city, which trimmed about 30% of the canopy in the affected area. Neighbors say the work was not enough. Some residents paid out of pocket to trim overhanging limbs on city property themselves.
Fort Worth Animal Care & Control has now assigned officers to the block to assist with the deterrence effort. On one night, residents reported turning away about 219 birds over three hours.
“Some people try to have lives outside of chasing egrets away,” Sharon said. “Wouldn’t that be nice?”
Residents say they have no choice but to keep up the vigil.
“Living here is not good for them. It’s not good for people,” Rybarczyk said. “That’s why we’re asking for help. That’s why we’re trying to keep this from happening.”
Similar battles are taking place in the Pleasant Valley neighborhood of North Garland, where residents have taken preemptive measures to discourage egrets from returning to nest this year, after a very messy and noisy nesting season last year.
Residents have trimmed their trees to discourage nesting, and others have cut their trees down altogether. Some have added reflective streamers, scary-eye balloons, and other bird deterrents.
Residents Cody and Linda Gilliland have been vigilant about patrolling the neighborhood each evening as the birds circle above, looking for a place to settle in for the night. Linda uses an air horn, and Cody deploys his drone to chase away the flocks of birds. Another neighbor uses a more low-tech method: banging a metal spoon against a large soup pot.
“Last year, I was not prepared for the swarms of birds that took over my trees, and I spent the entire summer cleaning up dead birds and excrement from my yard and sidewalk,” said Garland resident Patti Villegas. “This year, I am more prepared, and the battle is on.”
It remains to be seen whether the humans or the egrets will ultimately win the territorial war this season.
