Cherry the juvenile short-billed corella dangles from its perch. Pictures: ANDY ZAKELICherry the corella should have been grateful to rescuers who unsnagged its leg from a two storey-high tree branch at Avondale yesterday.
But a young corella has a lot to be angry about - humans leaving bits of fishing line about to entangle birds; the plight of culled brother and sister corellas interstate; the indignity of hanging upside down all those hours.
Fire and Rescue NSW used a cherry picker to free Cherry, a juvenile short-billed corella, from a tree on Turnbull Crescent about noon.
Cherry the corella.The bird had a piece of synthetic line on its foot and this caught on the tree - a scenario that wildlife rescue organisation WIRES Illawarra chairman Sam Joukador said was not uncommon.
"When birds make nests they use whatever they can - fibre or fishing line. Baby birds sitting in the nest can pick up the [line] on their leg," he said
Senior firefighter John Meakin and WIRES volunteer Sam Joukador.A resident rang WIRES after seeing Cherry repeatedly trying to take off.
Still angry after its rescue, the bird bit Mr Joukador.
It will spend five days recuperating before being released at the same location.
Corellas are being culled in towns in South Australia and Victoria, targeted for their destruction of trees and property.