April 19, 2024
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Plato Twp. man shot 30 birds because he didn’t like their waste on his girlfriend’s car

Conservation officer cites man for killing protected bird species

By Brenda Schory

The brown-headed cowbird is North America’s most common “brood parasite,” according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. A female cowbird makes no nest of her own, but instead lays her eggs in the nests of other bird species, who then raise the young cowbirds. Cowbirds are a protected species in Illinois.

PLATO TOWNSHIP – One neighbor in Plato Township has about 50 bird feeders.

But his neighbor didn’t like the excess of birds pooping on his girlfriend’s car – so he shot about 30 of them, including a protected species – brown-headed cowbirds – according to Kane County Sheriff’s reports and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Scott J. Wooley, 57, of the 40W900 block of Woodrow Lane, Plato Township, received a citation from the IDNR for shooting the protected species, brown-headed cowbirds, according to the report and the IDNR.

The dead birds were common starlings and brown-headed cowbirds, according to an email from IDNR spokeswoman Rachel Torbert.

“Common starlings are not protected, but the brown-headed cowbirds are,” Torbert’s email stated.

Wooley’s neighbor, in the 41W000 block of Russell Road, called deputies about 3:30 p.m. Jan. 13, the report stated.

The Russell Road resident said he loves birds and has more than 50 bird feeders, but that Wooley, who lives directly to the east, “does not like the birds on his property caused by the feeders,” the report stated.

“Scott told (the complainant) he shot some birds recently and was planning to … shoot some more bids,” the report stated.

The complainant told the deputy that there were approximately 30 dead birds in Wooley’s back yard near Russell Road.

“Scott called (his neighbor) and told him that he shot the birds because he was upset they defecated on his girlfriend’s car parked in his driveway,” the report stated.

“Scott told (his neighbor) he was shooting from his front door with an over/under shotgun. Scott then told (his neighbor) he was planning on going over to (his neighbor’s) property while he was at work tomorrow, to shoot a lot more birds,” the report stated. The complainant told the deputy, “he found dead birds in his yard and was afraid his dog would eat them and possibly get sick.”

When Wooley first spoke with the deputy he said he didn’t know anything about the dead birds and suggested they were probably hit by cars, the report stated.

“Scott denied shooting any birds or shooting on his property,” the report stated.

The deputy contacted the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police, who responded and went with the deputy back to Wooley’s house, but he was not home, the report stated.

The conservation officer told the deputy that a species of birds killed, brown-headed cowbirds, were protected, according to the report and IDNR.

The conservation officer went back to Wooley’s house, before the deputy arrived. “Scott told her he did shoot the birds in his yard,” the report stated.

“Scott informed me he did not shoot towards the road and made sure to keep the bird shot from leaving his property,” the report stated. “Officer Giovanna Iaffaldano then issued Scott a citation for shooting the protected birds.”


Kane County