Zoo Butterflies Fall Prey to Hungry Mockingbird

A mockingbird gobbled hundreds of rare butterflies in an Indianapolis zoo exhibit over two weeks while evading attempts to catch it.

The bird apparently entered the zoo’s conservatory through a vent or window. The exhibit had about 1,500 butterflies. The lost butterflies were worth about $1,000. Brilliant neon butterflies called blue morphos were especially hard hit.

“You can’t blame the bird. He was doing what came naturally,” zoo gardener Susan Micks said.

A zoo spokeswoman said the bird was finally captured and released “far, far away.”