Fort Worth Neighbors Battle Egrets, Herons

0:00It's April 20th. Welcome to Dallas News Today, powered by AI. Residents and Fort Worth's Park Glen Neighborhood are out every evening banging pots, pans, and blasting air horns to chase away flocks of eagreets and herons. These birds show up each spring trying to nest in suburban trees, but once they settle in, federal law from 1918 protects them, leaving, folks with little recourse. The noisy campaign ramps up around 5.30 to 6 p.m. and lasts till 8 or later, depending on when the birds stop flying in. Last year, about 400 eagreets turned the area into a ruckery, dropping thick layers of smelly poop that sicked one dog and ruined yards. Neighbors are fired up over the mess and damage to roofs and homes, with some calling it a yearly nightmare. They've organized watches at hot spots like Teal Drive in Navajo Way, led by a retiree aiming for zero birds, roosting in the 3,300 homes. Experts from Texas Parks and Wildlife say six bird species hit North Texas suburbs like

1:03this for over 20 years, and it's a puzzle why they skip. Nearby parks for rooftops amid all the growth. The city has dropped more than $30,000 on overtime, nest removal, and even tree trimming to fight back. So far this year, the spotters claim victory with no nests forming, but a petitions pushing Senator Ted Cruz to tweak those protections. Officials urge hitting it early and hard before the birds commit.