The Parks Department Needs Your Help with Egret and Heron Control

The Parks and Recreation Department is asking residents to help deter egrets and herons from forming nesting colonies (rookeries) in Addison. Urban rookeries can cause noise, odor, public health hazards, and damage to property.
 
Please follow these three simple steps:

1.   Egrets and Herons like dense tree canopies and nest in trees that are 20’ tall or greater. They like areas with contiguous canopy where large trees have grown together. You can be a big part of the solution by heavily thinning out the interior branches of your trees so they have 75% density or less. If possible, prune trees so they do not touch other trees.

2.   Familiarize yourself with what Egret and Herons native to our area look like.

3.   If you think you have seen an Egret or Heron in Addison, email mansted@addisontx.gov and provide the location, a description of the bird, and a photo if possible. You can also report sights on Addison's FixIt app.

We in some cases may be able to use hazing tactics to encourage them to leave.
 
Herons and egrets are protected under the Migratory Bird Act, so please do not harm them, their nests, eggs, or hatchlings.
Thank you for your help.