Residents Authorized To Kill Invasive Ducks Running Amok In Town

PEARLAND, Texas (CBS Local) -- Muscovy ducks are taking over a town in Texas and residents are now being encouraged to trap or even shoot them in some cases.

The City of Pearland is allowing landowners and homeowner's associations (HOAs) to "address the ducks as seen fit, and within legal parameters, by the HOA or the landowner."

Pearland is designated as a bird sanctuary city but the Muscovy duck is considered an invasive species from Central and South America and are therefore not protected.

"From the reports that we've heard, (the ducks) tend to be aggressive on properties and they push other species out and different things like that," city spokesman Joshua Lee told KTRK.

The city says residents can only kill the duck if they capture it on their own property. They say it cannot be kept, consumed or sold. Plus, the duck must be destroyed by legal means.

The discharge of a firearm is generally illegal in Pearland city limits, but the city says "if a duck is destroyed where use of a firearm is permissible, the person doing so must use nontoxic shot or nontoxic bullets."

Residents who choose to trap and relocate the animal must take them to one of three south Texas counties (Hidalgo, Starr and Zapata), which are all more than five hours away.

Other residents who don't have an issue with the ducks on their property are still strictly prohibited from feeding them.