WHIDBEY ISLAND, Washington (STPNS) -- Strutting slowly around the parking lot behind Miriam?s Espresso Café, the big black-and-gray bird cast a wary eye toward customers as they scurried past him on their way into the shop.

Despite being busted several times for chasing cars and harassing people as they head into the shop for coffee, Pollito, a four-year-old helmeted guinea fowl, has been prowling the lot again.

He?s even menaced the police officers sent in to hunt him down.

Coupeville Marshal Lenny Marlborough said the bird seems to have a bit of a territorial streak.



?He chased me out of the driveway in my patrol car,? he said with a laugh.

But while the cantankerous oversized rooster may seem somewhat comical, the owners of Miriam?s say his aggressive behavior is not. Chef Michael Meyer said he?s had to call police and animal control officers in several times to help corral the cranky bird, which has been harassing the shop?s customers.

But because neither Coupeville nor Island County has any animal-control laws pertaining to runaway fowl, law enforcement can?t do much more than take the errant bird back to its home roost.

More often, it?s a brave customer who works up the courage to grab the bird and toss him over the back fence.

That last brave soul was 14-year-old Charlie Cook. His sister, Autumn Cook, works for Miriam?s as a barista, and Charlie Cook had stopped by for a visit.

After spotting the bird trespassing in the back parking lot, Meyer and the Cook siblings worked as a team, gradually drawing closer until they had Pollito cornered against a fence. That?s when Charlie Cook dove in and grabbed the squawking bird.

?It was pretty fun,? Cook said.

Cook said Pollito doesn?t scare him, but he said he could see why the bird might intimidate other people.

?It?s ?cause its face is kinda ugly,? he said.

While there are no local laws that dictate how fowl must be kept, Whidbey Island Animal Control Officer Carol Barnes has suggested Pollito?s owner, Arely Jimenez, build an enclosure to keep Pollito from wandering.

Jimenez said she?s been balking at building a cage because she thinks it?s mean. And besides, building an enclosure would cost her as much as $450.

?He?s definitely a member of the family,? Jimenez said. ?I don?t want to enclose him in anything.?

If Pollito gets out again, Barnes said she might issue Jimenez a citation, which could include a fine. Overall, Barnes said Jimenez has been very nice and cooperative.

?The bird needs to stay at home,? Barnes said. ?It?s part of being a responsible pet owner.?

Jimenez?s daughter, Roxana, has some theories as to why Pollito acts the way he does. She said he was raised on a large property in Florida where he got used to ranging around a big garden. Pollito?s favorite pastime was following Jimenez as she carted around wheelbarrows full of garden soil. Every now and then, a worm would wriggle out of the wheelbarrow, and Pollito would be there waiting to have a snack.

Over time, Jimenez said she thinks Pollito began to associate the spinning wheel of the wheelbarrow with the tasty worms, which might be why he finds a busy parking lot filled with moving cars so irresistible.

But then again Jimenez says she can?t be sure.

?I don?t know what goes through his little mind,? she said.