Cockatoos stuck in shot-put cage at Croydon Athletics Track

Bird lovers are pleading for Maroondah Council to remove a shot-put cage at an athletics track where six mini cockatoos got trapped this morning.

The cockatoos caught in netting at the Croydon athletics. Picture: Cath Pezza/Facebook.

Cockatoos are being strangled and left bloodied after being trapped in a shot-put cage at a Croydon park.

Mooroolbark’s Cath Pezza was walking her dog near the Croydon Athletics Track when she saw roughly 50 birds gathered in the shot-put and discus cage.

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She found about six cockatoos caught in the netting and one with blood on its face getting strangled by the netting.

“They were all over the net, inside and outside,” she said.

“I realised there were a few birds trapped, and the rest were pecking the net and trying to get them out.

Ms Pezza posted for help on the Maroondah Noticeboard Facebook page, with several strangers rushing to the park to cut holes in the netting and free the birds.

She also spoke to a Maroondah Council customer service officer who said he would log the incident.

The cockatoos caught in netting at the Croydon Athletics Track. Picture: Cath Pezza/Facebook.

Ringwood’s David Ballard, a wildlife rescuer for Warriors 4 Wildlife and a Croydon Scout leader, said he had rescued birds from the cage up to three times a week this summer, and

said Maroondah Council was refusing to remove it due to costs.

He said the cockatoos lived in nearby parklands and the cage was a safety hazard for the birds during the warmer months.

“That’s when all the baby birds are fledging and taking flight and they get caught in the netting,” he said.
“It’s disgusting seeing the birds injured like that and it doesn’t need to happen.”

Mr Ballard said he had raised the issue with the council four times this summer.

He said council officers told him the netting was up for the summer athletics season and it would cost $50,000 to remove it.

A small cockatoo was found trapped in netting at Croydon Athletics Track. Picture: Cath Pezza/Facebook.

Ms Pezza also called on the council to remove or redesign the netting at the cage.

“It’s absolutely a death trap; if I wasn’t there or doing anything, I’m sure those birds would have been dead,” she said.

Maroondah Council and Croydon’s Athletics and Little Athletics Clubs have been contacted for comment.

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