Bird Rides In Bumper From Florida To Pennsylvania
Egret Sucked In When Hit By Minivan
HARRISBURG, Pa.—A 20-inch egret has a new name and a new home after it survived six days and an 850-mile road trip from Orlando, Fl., in the hollow of a minivan bumper.
The white Florida cattle egret was sucked behind the bumper when a minivan hit the flying bird.
It eventually made enough noise that vehicle owner Doug Marsico, of Mechanicsburg, this week took his minivan into a Harrisburg body shop.
There, employee Butch Lockey removed the hungry, irritable bird, which promptly rewarded Lockey with a bite on his gloved hand.
The egret has a four-inch yellow beak and a buff orange crest, breast, and shoulders and is named Butch after his rescuer.
Beth Carricato, the director of the Dauphin County Wildlife Rescue, said the egret has a compound fracture of his femur, but otherwise is “in remarkably good condition.”
She said she is not sure whether they would return the bird to its natural habitat because it may wear down its good leg while the broken one heals.
Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press.
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)
Posted by: Paul on April 17, 2003 at 14:19:49