Parakeets Damage Traffic Light Wiring in Feira de Santana

In the Brazilian city of Feira de Santana, parakeets have been chewing the wiring inside traffic signal poles, causing lights to flash or fail. The municipal traffic superintendency reported several incidents over the past two weeks, especially at intersections near Casa de Saúde Santana and Avenida Castro Alves.

Officials, including traffic superintendent Ricardo Cunha and signal chief Herval Borges, explained that the birds enter the pole arms and gnaw the internal wires. To prevent further damage, the city has replaced the protective caps on all signal poles and begun taping the arms to block access. No accidents have been linked to the malfunctions, but the repairs impose additional municipal expenses.

The measures aim to maintain traffic flow while avoiding harm to the birds, which act on instinct rather than seeking food.