Woodpecker damages greater than 20 autos in Massachusetts city

A seaside Massachusetts city seems to have fallen prey to an overzealous pileated woodpecker that broken greater than 20 autos, a resident stated.

For weeks, Rockport locals have handled damaged automobile windshields and aspect mirrors. Resident Janelle Favaloro was in a position to seize a photograph of the wrongdoer: a big, crow-sized chicken whacking away at autos.

“We appear to have a vandal in our neighborhood. I am describing him as 18 to 24 inches tall, carrying black and white with a purple hat,” Favaloro stated on NBC’s “TODAY” present.

She stated the woodpecker is accountable for damaging at the very least 25 autos.

“The woodpecker confirmed up and landed on the windshield wipers of the RV in our yard and was taking a look at its reflection. And we have been like, ‘You recognize what, I guess he was the one which broken the mirrors, as effectively.'”

The pileated woodpecker is almost the scale of a crow and has white stripes down the neck and a flaming-red crest, in accordance with Allaboutbirds.org.

Ron Magill, Zoo Miami’s communications director, stated one motive for the woodpecker’s aggressive habits might be peak mating season.

“This time of 12 months is breeding season, so all these male birds, not simply pileated woodpeckers, however all birds, are stepping into a really aggressive territorial courtship show,” he stated on “TODAY.”

“In the event that they’re seeing their reflections of themselves, they do not perceive it is a reflection,” he continued. “They assume it is a competitor.”