ITALY: ROME CITY COUNCIL USES TAPE RECORDERS AND LOUDSPEAKERS TO SCARE AWAY THOUSANDS OF STARLINGS

Record ID: 639689

  • Title: ITALY: ROME CITY COUNCIL USES TAPE RECORDERS AND LOUDSPEAKERS TO SCARE AWAY THOUSANDS OF STARLINGS
  • Date: 15th December 1997
  • Summary: ROME, ITALY (DECEMBER 15, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV PIAZZA, UP TO THOUSANDS OF STARLINGS IN SKY 0.12 2. GV STARLINGS IN SKY 0.16 3. SV WOMAN CHECKING HAIR FOR BIRD DROPPINGS 0.22 4. SV CAR COVERED WITH BIRD EXCREMENT 0.29 5. GV PEOPLE WAITING FOR BUS CHECKING FOR BIRD EXCREMENT ON CLOTHES AND HAIR 0.37 6. GV VARIOUS OF STARLINGS IN SKY 0.58 7. GV PEOPLE WALKING ALONG STREET PROTECTING HEADS WITH NEWSPAPERS 1.05 8 CU STARLINGS ON TREES 1.12 9. GV PEOPLE WITH UMBRELLAS 1.19 10. GV STARLINGS IN SKY 1.24 (RECENT) 11. GV ROME TOWN COUNCIL WORKERS IN YELLOW RAINCOATS AND MEGAPHONES 1.28 12. SV WORKER UNCOVERING AND ADJUSTING MEGAPHONE ON CAR 1.35 13. CU OF MEGAPHONE AND PAN UP TO COUNCIL WORKER 1.41 14. SCU CARLA MARAGONI FROM THE ANIMAL RIGHTS OFFICE OF ROME'S TOWN COUNCIL "WE RECORD THE DISTRESS CRY OF THE STARLING, THE CRY THAT THE STARLING GIVES WHEN IT SEES A PREDATOR. WHEN THE STARLINGS HEAR THIS CRY OF ALARM, THEY ARE FRIGHTENED AND THEY FLY AWAY. WHEN WE DO THIS FOR TWO OR THREE CONSECUTIVE DAYS, THEY FLY AWAY AND DON'T RETURN TO THE SAME PLACE AGAIN" (ITALIAN) 1.55 15. GV NIGHT SHOT CAR DRIVING WITH LOUDSPEAKER PLAYING DISTRESS CRY 2.03 16. SCU WOMEN DRIVING CAR 2.12 17. SV WORKER IN YELLOW RAINCOAT WITH FLASHLIGHT AND LOUDSPEAKER TO FRIGHTEN STARLINGS 2.23 18. GV STARLINGS FLY AWAY 2.34 Initials S3,P3 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 30th December 1997 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ROME, ITALY
  • City:
  • Country: Italy
  • Reuters ID: LVA37C59BQ2JD0K301GDIZUBTJNX
  • Story Text: - INTRO: Rome's city council has taken to the streets with tape recorders and loud speakers to scare away thousands of starlings which have been splattering unwanted Christmas tidings on the capital's residents and buildings.

    After spending the day outside of the city foraging for food, the starlings return in their thousands to roost in the comparative safety of Rome's ancient architecture, leaving small reminders of their countryside visit.

    The excrement covers cars, pavements and roads which mixed with the falling leaves and the rain cause hazardous conditions for motorists and those on foot.

    To overcome this sticky problem, Carla Maragoni from the Animal Rights Office of Rome's town coucil, decided to use the starling's own distress cries in a bid to scare away the birds.

    "We record the distress cry of the starling, the cry that the starling gives when it sees a predator," Margoni said.

    Working together with the Italian League for the Protection of Birds, the 'distress call' is played back over portable loud speakers under the trees and buildingswhere they are perching.

    On hearing the call, the birds launch into flight in a state of agitation and fly away.

    Margoni claimed that after a few days consecutive treatment, the birds do not return.

    Residents say the scheme has been a success, though admit that after years of ducking and dodging it is wise to remain vigilant.


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