ACRES & NParks Investigating a Yishun Resident Who Hung a Bird from a Pole to Deter Birds from Entering Her House

2019-12-12 , 1:00 pm

I’m really, really scared of birds.

Yup, I’m “one of those” people who would take a detour just to avoid those pesky flying creatures.

Needless to say, whenever they fly into my kitchen to feed on the leftovers from last night, I freak out and immediately SCREAM for my mum.

My heroic mother would then gently chase out the bird by “shoo-ing” it away. I think that’s what everyone would do.

Except for this lady who took matters into her own hands, literally.

A Lesson Learnt For A Mynah

According to a Facebook post by the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society Singapore (ACRES), their 24-hour wildlife rescue hotline received a call for a mynah who was seen dangling from a unit’s laundry pole stand in Yishun.

Yishun (again)?

Probably a freak accident then. Sounds like a very Yishun thing.

Wrong.

Upon meeting the unit’s resident, the ACRES rescue officers were shocked when they found out that the Javan mynah was deliberately trapped by the lady residing in the unit to teach the mynah a lesson so that it would “learn” not to enter her kitchen.

Released After Assessing For Injuries

In a video released by ACRES, the mynah appeared to be hanging upside down.

Fortunately, the mynah was released after ACRES assessed it for injuries and gave it some water and food.

An Act Of Cruelty

As someone who has a great fear of birds, I understand where the lady is coming from. However, as much as I hate birds, what she did was still wrong and cruel.

She was informed by ACRES that it was an act of cruelty and was advised on other ways to deter birds.

Not The First Bird To Be Hung

Back in November 2015, a mynah was hung outside the window of an HDB flat by the homeowner after it flew into the flat and defecated inside.

Just like the lady, the resident had suspended the bird outside “in an attempt to scare the mynah”.

Other Ways To Deter Birds

If you face the same issue as me with the birds in your area, here are some tips for you to deter them from entering your house.

Refrain from having exposed food
Hanging wind chimes might help to scare birds using sound
Placing scarecrow/predator visuals could scare them away
Non-toxic bird repellent sprays can be used

According to ACRES, the National Parks Board (NParks) is currently investigating the case.

Let’s do our part in ending animal cruelty by being vigilant. Report cases of animal cruelty to ACRES.

And, most importantly, don’t hang any birds.