Snow Geese Bosque del Apache  New  Mexico             click to enlarge

While on a recent trip to visit Bosque del Apache, a bird sanctuary in New Mexico, something very upsetting happened. We were witness to some disturbing activity that affects the lives of our feathered friends. It seems that an extreme element has inserted itself into the tranquil life of the birds there. We’ve all heard about the “gang problem” that exists in our society today but never would we have imagined that it has wormed its way into the animal world and especially into the serene surroundings of this winter stopover for some of our most popular birds.

Apparently some extremely aggressive South American Fuegian Steamer Ducks (Tachyeres pteneres) formed a gang back in the early 60’s to control the importation and distribution of high yield, high sugar corn products to the other species of waterfowl in the area. This corn derivative colloquially known as “Poppers” or “Kernelitos” on the street or waterways as it were, soon became an incredibly lucrative source of income for these feathered gangsters.

It wasn’t long before the gangs who had primarily been found in the backwaters of Columbia, gained more and more control and power until even the local (CIWY) or Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi, a non-governmental organization dedicated to environmental education and the care of sick, mistreated and abandoned wildlife, were able to contain them.

Things were rapidly spiraling out of control and the gang now known as the “Ducks of Death” for their heavy-handed violent methods of enforcement and intimidation soon began their migration North. It wasn’t long before “Poppers” and the gangs that introduced them were being found in some of the winter resting areas of migratory waterfowl in northern Mexico. Young ducks and geese were being invited to try “Kernelitos” at “Popper” parties and soon birds barely fledged were hooked on this “cool gruel” as it was called in the underground language of the users. Some of the younger birds began calling themselves “gruelers” and sporting tattoos of corn kernels on their exposed areas.

Along with this “grain of destruction” came all the violence and terrifying problems that accompany any kind of illegal substance use. Groups of hit-ducks employing their strongwing tactics were soon intimidating the locals. Stories of pulling out primary feathers, breaking wing bones, and using their drug enhanced mandibles to bite the necks and other lethal areas of those they were intimidating were soon making the rounds. They became enforcers of the worst kind and ruled the waterways with an iron-bill policy. No one was safe.

Despite wildlife officials best efforts they were unable to stem the trafficking in this insidious addicting menace and due to the porous nature of our borders they feared it wouldn’t be long before this terrible debilitating habit and all its accompanying violence would be found in the US. Well now it has and we have the photographic proof. See image above (Interpol ID# 88560283472).

The Institute, although not normally known as an LEA or Law enforcement agency, we sometimes work closely with different branches of law enforcement when we see obvious wrongdoing occur. So far we have notified every agency that may have any connection to this problem but have not heard back yet with any results. The image above which shows incontrovertible proof of the infiltration and application of terror that has now reached our shores, as it were, is just a wake up call. It’s here and it needs to be dealt with.

Your help as auxiliary observers is needed and will help stem the tide of this implacable menace by reporting any violent behavior you witness in your local bird population. How you  can help; Watch for unexplained kernels of corn laying on the ground in and around waterways, look for signs of unusual behavior in young birds, such as ‘strutting’ or unusual or different hairstyles like ‘ducktails’. Manic wing flapping and uncontrollable squawking are signs of being in the throes of a “sugar high” as is lying listlessly in the water with their heads submerged. Beware of anti-social actions such as laughing or giggling by young birds with excessively yellow or orange feet, these can be signs of “popping” or “using”, and immediately notify law enforcement if you see any type of aggression in the bird population you are observing. This is a sure sign of gang activity. Do not be afraid to inform local law enforcement of anything you deem suspicious. They’ll thank you for it and you’ll feel better knowing you’ve done your part to help stem this horrible problem. It is better to be known as a quack than to have done nothing at all.