By STEFANIE COHEN
Posted: 3:46 am
July 24, 2008
A passenger on a flight from Guyana was charged with smuggling 13 finches into the country to use in singing contests, authorities said.
Customs agents noticed bird feed in the luggage of Terrence McLean at JFK Airport, the complaint says, and after searching him found the birds hidden inside women's hair curlers.
The Guyanese finches are thought to sing better than their American brethren, according to court documents.
McLean admitted he hoped to sell the birds, which were captured in the wild. He was arraigned this week in Brooklyn federal court.
