Taco the Emu brings highway traffic to a halt

SOUTH FLORIDA (WABC) -- Rush hour got a little hairy for drivers in South Florida Wednesday morning when a huge Australian bird showed up and stopped traffic.

It took several deputies to get the bird off the road and out of danger.

Taco is a 4-year-old Emu, a 5-foot-tall, flightless bird who was out looking for a mate, according to his owner.

Now, nothing on A1A resembles a female emu, but Taco isn't one to be particular.

Motorcycles seemed to draw his interest.

"It's odd," one driver said. "It's not something we see every day. I think our guys did a really good job trying to contain the bird."

Taco was interested in everything and everyone, and deputies at first had no idea what to do with him. They sort of tried to herd him off the road using patrol cars, but that didn't work.

Taco lives in a suburban backyard about two blocks away, where the uniqueness doesn't stop with the menagerie. His owner didn't answer the bell, but reportedly said the bird's antics are because of mating season.

There, Taco sat contemplating his big morning. He might not have found a mate, but he apparently had a very good time anyway.

Taco's owner was able to get him off the road by throwing a towel over the bird's head.

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