Dead birds hang in Greeneville trees to contain public safety hazard

Dead birds hanging in Greeneville trees contain public safety... (Added: March 05, 2010)

11 Connects heard from a viewer this morning, who was repulsed by the sight of dead birds hanging on trees in a Greeneville neighborhood. We found that it was local law enforcement trying to contain a (more)

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Dead birds hang in Greeneville trees to contain public safety hazard

The police department first killed and hung the birds around the new year. Chief Terry Cannon says there haven't been vulture problems in the area for at least six weeks.

By: Dana Wachter | TriCities.com
Published: March 05, 2010

Greeneville, Tenn. -- For years now, buzzards, otherwise known as vultures, have terrorized a neighborhood in Greeneville. They've roosted in trees near the Greeneville Fire Department, off Sunset and Simpson Streets.
These days, there's only dead birds hanging in the trees. The Greeneville Police Department had complaints of the vultures regurgitating, and roosting on people's roofs and cars. The police tried everything from setting off fireworks and blasting sirens, to having the fire department spray them with water. The birds are federally protected, and cannot be killed. As a last result, the police department applied for a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service permit, which allows them to kill ten turkey buzzards, and thirty black ones in a year. So far, the tactic has worked.
"We didn't have to kill the full amount that was in our permit," said Greeneville Police Chief Terry Cannon, "and by hanging those birds in the trees, it's kept the rest of them away."
The police department's permit lasts through March 31. Cannon hopes they won't have to kill more birds, but his department will re-apply for another permit, just in case the vulture problem comes back.