Hooligan fears

Jan 10 2008

Birdwatchers are hoping that a rare American bird lodging in an English village will stay out of the clutches of a cat called Hooligan.

The white-crowned sparrow arrived in Cley, Norfolk, last Thursday, and is living in a garden hedge at the home of retired clergyman Richard Bending, 60, and his wife Sue, 59.

Experts say one of the greatest dangers to the bird is cats. "I know people are worried about cats," said Mrs Bending, a retired librarian. "One lives next door. He’s called Hooligan. But he’s fairly elderly. He doesn’t normally cause problems."