Police are searching for a man who allegedly hit and killed a royal tern with an electric scooter at Redington Shores Beach

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – Indian Shores Police are searching for a man caught on video hitting a royal tern with an electric scooter.

According to the incident report, officers found the bird dead at the same spot on Redington Shores Beach where it was struck on Friday.

Bird lovers in the Bay Area are outraged and demanding that the man be held accountable.

Robert Truesdell recorded the video.

“He came around me and then swerved right into the birds,” Truesdell said. “But that’s the problem with electric scooters: They’re quiet and fast. And the birds have no chance to avoid them.”

Driving electric vehicles on Redington Shores Beach is illegal.

The driver hits the flock of royal terns, runs over one of them, and drives away. In the video, the bird can be seen trying to flap its wings again. Truesdell said it eventually does fly, but not for long. He told police the scooter driver intentionally drove through the birds before hitting them.

“That was actually the fourth time I’ve seen him,” Truesdell said. “He must have a brain. I mean, that’s just horrible. How can you hurt something on purpose?”

Royal terns are not an endangered species.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission sent us this statement:

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is aware of an incident in which a royal tern was injured on Redington Beach in Pinellas County. This incident is under investigation and no further information is available at this time. The FWC takes wildlife violations very seriously and encourages the public to report them by downloading the FWC Wildlife Alert app, texting the keyword “FWC” and information about the violation to 847411 (Tip411), calling the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (888-404-3922), or submitting a tip online at MyFWC.com/WildlifeAlert.

All waders and seabirds nesting in Florida are federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

It’s breeding season for beach-nesting shorebirds and seabirds, and visitors to our shores can contribute to breeding success by walking around flocks of birds on the beach, rather than through them. Give beach-nesting birds at least 300 feet of space to keep them from flying away and to keep hard-to-see chicks and eggs from being trampled and exposed to the elements and predators. Even when not nesting, shorebirds and seabirds use the beach as important habitat for resting and foraging. For more information on how to share the beach and help beach-nesting birds, visit MyFWC.com/Shorebirds.

Indian Shores Police say they take their partnerships with the Audubon Society, FWC and others very seriously. They want to charge this man with animal cruelty, which is a felony, and hope the District Attorney’s Office can file charges.

There are signs in the sand telling beachgoers to watch out for the birds. Truesdell explains the risks of ignoring these signs.

“They are unique birds. They are the only birds in the world where the lower beak is longer than the upper beak. And they forage for food, which is also unique. So it would be a shame if they disappeared,” Truesdell said.

Indian Shores Police are asking anyone with information on the whereabouts of this man to contact them immediately.