PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — In this cell phone video, you can hear the anger directed at a man who authorities say shot and killed a great blue heron in his backyard.
"Call the police. This mother**** is shooting our birds. You moved into the bird's house. You can't kill the animals that live here."
A neighbor confronted Joseph White on Saturday and recorded the exchange.
"You want to hurt me? Is that what you want to do?" White asks the man in the video.
"I want to see you pay now. You can't kill these wild birds," the neighbor replied.
Eddie Alas, who lives next door, went outside when he heard the screaming.
"I saw for myself a duck on the side of the house that he had shot, and there was a heron—that heron—just floating in the pool. And said, 'My god, man, what did you do?'" said Alas.
Neighbors called Florida Fish and Wildlife officers, who said they found one dead great blue heron, which is federally protected, and a dead mallard duck.
"Our officers interviewed Mr. White, where he admitted to using a pellet rifle to shoot the great blue heron. He explained he was trying to keep shore birds and ducks from congregating near his pool," said FWC Officer Bradley Johnson.
In the video, you can hear White saying he was sorry and that he didn't mean to kill the heron. The penalties for violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act are wide-ranging and can include thousands of dollars in fines and jail time.
"You just got to reckon with the law now, brother. I said, 'You did what you did, and you need to reckon with the law, and here they come down the street right now,'" said Alas.
Experts say you can use visual deterrents like decoys to keep birds away. There are also sound deterrents and pond netting.
But for the most part, people in this neighborhood say the birds belong here.
"These birds are dead, and that's a life that's lost. And us folks at the beach, we treasure life. That's basically why we are there. We love our animals too," said Alas.
ABC Action News talked to the man who shot that video on the phone.
He said he wanted to remain anonymous, but he did want people to know just how wrong he thought this was. He added that anyone who's concerned should direct their outrage to something positive and donate to the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary.
Great blue herons and other native migratory birds are federally protected animals, making it unlawful to harm and kill them. On April 12, White was issued a Notice to Appear for violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Anyone with information about other wildlife violations can report them to FWC's Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).
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