CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Residents in nearby rural areas are having - and have been having - a serious bird problem. Vultures, while important to the ecosystem, are leaving Alice and San Diego residents with a literal mess.
Melissa Zamora and her mother, Zulema Vela, are too familiar with the problem because vultures have been roosting in a cell tower next to their home for years. It became a hang out spot after the tower was built.
"In the beginning, we didn't have a problem with the birds. And then all of a sudden, they just started coming in. This is every year. We can’t sit outside. You can’t (do) nothing,” Melissa Zamora said.
A Texas and Parks Wildlife Game Warden told KRIS 6 News reporter Melissa Trevino that unfortunately there’s not much they can do to chase away the vultures. They can only use large firework type noisemakers, like flash bangs.
“Black vultures are state protected. They’re a protected, non-game bird. They are also a federally protected due to the migratory act. You can’t kill them. You can’t shoot at them. You can’t hunt them,” Game Warden Captain Ben Baker said.
That answer is a drop in the bucket for the family who’s dealing with a huge bird dropping problem in their backyard.
“My backyard gets full of that and so does the top of my house. My vehicle – we had to make a porch cause I was having to wash my car like three of four times a week,” Zulema Zamora said.
Bird droppings aren’t the only issue. The vultures also “drop in” on Zulema Vela’s roof and backyard furniture.
The City of Alice will try scaring the vultures away once again. They’ve notified residents they’ll be setting off flash bangs for several days this week.
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