Saturday, December 15, 2007

The chicken that crossed the road

I recently visited Fitzgerald, Ga., a 3-hour run straight down I-75, technically in the middle of nowhere. I was there to see the town's new $20 million high-tech college, where they're teaching the sons of farmers to write videogames.

But the coolest thing about Fitzgerald, and a point of pride for the community, are flocks of wild Burmese jungle fowl (pictured) that peck on the town's brick streets. Basically a Fish and Game gambit gone awry (they tried to release them in a nearby swamp, but the chickens preferred living in town) the town passed an ordinance protecting the chickens, and their loud squawking and general carrying on is now a signature of the town.

Sure, we've got more things going for us around here (train-spotting is second behind the chicken-gazing as far as things to do in Fitzgerald), but maybe Kirkwood should consider adopting some local wildlife as a symbol as well. I'd vote for the red-tailed hawk. I saw one swoop down into the weeds at the Pullman Yards the other day and pluck a rabbit off the ground.

Quite a show.

No comments: