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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums70 live birds hidden in plastic hair rollers were seized at JFK airport in New York
By Lindsey Bever / The Washington Post
Federal agents found dozens of finches hidden in hair rollers inside a duffel bag at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said agents stopped a passenger traveling from Guyana to New York on Saturday, carrying 70 finches hidden inside small, plastic rollers. The agency said in a statement that the birds have been detained under quarantine.
The passenger was barred from entering the United States but was able to withdraw his application for entry so that he may reapply to visit in the future, authorities said. Although there are penalties, including fines, for smuggling birds into the country, authorities said there were no further penalties in this case.
Anthony Bucci, a spokesman for the agency in New York, told The Washington Post that over the past 12 to 18 months, agents in New York have seized nearly 200 finches.
FULL story: https://www.omaha.com/news/trending/live-birds-hidden-in-plastic-hair-rollers-were-seized-at/article_b3fc7903-c66d-5a21-8a33-4b3442fbe70d.html
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70 live birds hidden in plastic hair rollers were seized at JFK airport in New York (Original Post)
Omaha Steve
Dec 2018
OP
dewsgirl
(14,961 posts)1. But why??
GoCubsGo
(32,088 posts)2. So they sell them to the pet industry.
Dread Pirate Roberts
(1,896 posts)4. Not for the pet industry
as you can see from the article in the OP they were being transported from Guyana.
Ray Harinarain moved to New York City from Guyana in the 1980s. He brought a local hobby with him: Competitive finch singing. Harinarain and his competitors breed finches, then bring them to local parks for sing-offs (male finches naturally compete, through song, with each other). Judges count each time a finch misses a note, and the first finch to reach 50 dropped notes loses. Although the four-minute video from the New York Times doesn't explicitly say so, it appears the main benefit of winning is bragging rights.
dewsgirl
(14,961 posts)5. Thank you. I knew it couldn't be financial.
llmart
(15,552 posts)8. They most certainly are sold in pet stores in the US.
They are used for breeding and selling in pet stores. The "oh how cute - competitive singing" is a cover.
It's animal cruelty to do this to the birds.
dewsgirl
(14,961 posts)11. Oh, I agree. I believe they are between 20-40 for a pair.
I just don't think it would be worth the risk.
rusty fender
(3,428 posts)14. How does a human judge
know when a bird misses a note?
Its not like the bird has a written score
dewsgirl
(14,961 posts)6. They don't cost enough for it to be worth the risk. I'm shocked they
survived.
GoCubsGo
(32,088 posts)7. They use them for breeding.
malaise
(269,157 posts)10. Gambling
Big time
Dread Pirate Roberts
(1,896 posts)3. It's a thing in Guyana
Competitive finch singing
Ray Harinarain moved to New York City from Guyana in the 1980s. He brought a local hobby with him: Competitive finch singing. Harinarain and his competitors breed finches, then bring them to local parks for sing-offs (male finches naturally compete, through song, with each other). Judges count each time a finch misses a note, and the first finch to reach 50 dropped notes loses. Although the four-minute video from the New York Times doesn't explicitly say so, it appears the main benefit of winning is bragging rights.
http://mentalfloss.com/article/67261/watch-competitive-finch-singing
?itok=ek0hg3gW&resize=1100x1100
malaise
(269,157 posts)9. I did not need to read to know they came from Guyana
Customs knows where to look
Lock them up.
tavernier
(12,400 posts)12. I'm surprised our DU punsters aren't on to this thread yet.
Guess this one was a lark.
rusty fender
(3,428 posts)13. That's a lot of rollers,
for a guy