NORTH MIAMI, FLA. (WSVN) - An investigation is underway after ducks in one South Florida neighborhood became targets, which has some neighbors concerned.
“It looks like there’s a hole, they literally shot him in his chest,” said Kim Kaplan Marchena, a concerned neighbor.
Neighbors said that in a matter of days, several ducks had been seen dead as someone was going around and shooting the ducks.
“Every morning that I’m walking, I’m finding dead ducks,” said a man.
This latest development involves the Muscovy ducks, which have been brewing for years.
“It’s just wrong. I couldn’t deal with this anymore,” said Kim Kaplan Marchena, a concerned neighbor.
Marchena lives at the Keystone Estates in North Miami and told 7News that one neighbor has complained about the ducks over and over again. Now, they are finding ducks and ducklings that have been shot dead.
“We all need to be aware that there is some person in this neighborhood that is just not right in the head,” said Marchena.
“It’s sad, I mean it’s very sad.”
Residents living near the intersection of Croton Road and Alamanda Drive started to find the ducks over the weekend.
“Saturday morning, four dead ducks in my yard,” said Edgardo Erb, a concerned neighbor. “Another four or five in my neighborhood, another one across the street, and then Sunday morning, the same thing.”
“Well, I found these two ducks this morning,” said William Simpson.
One neighbor brought out a bag, which, he said, contained 16 dead ducklings that were shot and found in his yard.
“I’ve been receiving emails about ducks being inhumanely killed in public spots,” said North Miami District 1 Councilman Scott Galvin.
Galvin visited the area with the police chief on Tuesday afternoon to learn more.
“Apparently it’s happening at night,” Galvin said. “Nobody sees it happening. It feeds a fear that their neighborhood might be unsafe.”
City leaders hosted a Zoom meeting on Tuesday and invited the community to join in the discussion.
Muscovy ducks are not native to Florida and some consider them a nuisance.
“If there is a nuisance issue with the ducks, there are other remedies, other than harming them,” said North Miami Police Chief Cherise Giordani Gause.
North Miami officials said hunting the ducks is illegal.
Neighbors are hoping that the police can track down the person who is pulling the trigger.
“An evil-spirited mean person,” said Simpson.
“It’s sickening, I mean they are animals, what can they do? They don’t do anything,” said Erb.
“This is nature, if you don’t want to live with nature, then sell your house and go live in a condo,” said Marchena.
The weapon used to kill the ducks apparently doesn’t make a sound. Neighbors said they haven’t heard a thing and surveillance cameras haven’t captured anything either.
North Miami Police are now investigating the incident.
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.