An investigation is underway in Coral Gables after two macaws were found shot to death, according to police.
The macaws, known for their long tails and colorful feathers, were found last week in the 200 block of U.S. 1 just east of Grand Avenue in the median. They may have been nesting in a palm tree, where there were also two babies.
Police said one of the birds was shot in the head and the other in the face. They believe the birds were killed with either a small caliber rifle or BB gun.
"I've been crying all day. It is so incredibly cruel and vile and heinous to shoot these birds down," said Dana Feinstein, who fed the birds every day. "I have names for each group and they were called the 'honeymooners' because they were so noisy."
With no clues on who may be behind the shootings, police hope putting the information out to the public will help generate some leads.
"It's somebody that doesn't have a caring bone. These birds were not doing anything. They're not in a residential area. They're on U.S. 1, they have lived there not bothering anybody. Nobody owns them. They're part of Coral Gables, and I'm just hoping somebody saw something or knows something," said Officer Kelly Denham with CGPD.
Coral Gables is considered a bird sanctuary because of its high bird population. "You can't shoot any bird in the City of Coral Gables," Denham said.
"I have been feeding these birds for at least 15 years and they're gone. Somebody has shot them down and they have broken my heart," said Feinstein, who is putting up cash in hopes somebody with information about who did this will come forward. "I'm offering a $1,000 reward for the arrest of these people that shot down these magnificent creatures."
If you know anything about this case, you're urged to call Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.
