Police looking for man they say hit, killed Royal Tern with electric scooter on Redington Shores Beach

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — The Indian Shores Police Department is looking for a man who was seen on video hitting a Royal Tern with an electric scooter.

According to the incident report, officers found the bird dead in the same spot it was hit on Redington Shores Beach Friday.

Bird lovers in the Bay Area are outraged, demanding the man be held accountable.

Robert Truesdell recorded the video.

“He came around me and then swerved right into the birds,” Truesdell said. “But that’s the problem with the electric scooters are quiet, they’re fast. And the birds don’t have a chance to get out of their way.”

Riding electric vehicles on Redington Shores Beach is illegal.

The rider pushes into the flock of Royal Terns, rolls over one of them, and keeps going. In the video you see the bird trying hard to flap its wings again. Truesdell said it does fly eventually, but not for long. He told police the scooter rider intentionally rode through the birds before hitting this one.

“That was actually the fourth time I saw him,” Truesdell said. “He needs to have a brain. I mean, that’s just terrible. How can you hurt something just intentionally.”

Royal Terns are not an endangered species.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission sent us this statement:

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is aware of the incident where a Royal Tern was injured at Redington Beach, Pinellas County. This incident is currently under investigation, and no additional information is available at this time. The FWC takes wildlife violations very seriously and encourages the public to report them by downloading the FWC Wildlife Alert app, texting 847411 (Tip411) with keyword “FWC” and information about the violation, calling the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (888-404-3922) or submitting a tip online at MyFWC.com/WildlifeAlert .

All shorebirds and seabirds nesting in Florida are federally protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

It is nesting season for beach-nesting shorebirds and seabirds, and people visiting our coastlines can help ensure nesting success by going around rather than through flocks of birds on the beach. Give beach-nesting birds at least 300 feet of space to avoid causing them to fly off, leaving hard-to-see chicks and eggs vulnerable to being stepped on and potential harm from being exposed to the elements and predators. Even when not nesting, shorebirds and seabirds use the beach as important habitat for resting and foraging. Learn more ways to share the shore and help beach-nesting birds at MyFWC.com/Shorebirds .

Indian Shores PD says they take their partnerships with the Audubon Society, FWC, and others very seriously. They are looking to charge this man with animal cruelty, which is a felony, and they hope the State Attorney’s Office can prosecute.

There are signs on the sand asking beachgoers to be mindful of the birds. Truesdell shares the risks of not following them.

“They’re a unique bird. They’re the only bird in the world where the lower bill is longer than the upper bill. And they skim for their food, which is also unique. So it’d be a shame to see them disappear,” Truesdell said.

Indian Shores PD asks anyone with information on this man’s whereabouts to contact them immediately.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.