"Et vass da vuurdest Ting ik uever za," (It was the weirdest thing I ever saw) said one Norwegian witness. "Da Konoorii vass pokken en pokken en skraachen en skraachen. Et vass rally skoory" (The canary was pecking and pecking and scratching and scratching. It was really scary) continued the onlooker. "Dat Burd vass oot fer Blutt!" (That bird was out for blood!).

When asked how a canary could get so big, the animal control officer explained that tourists often buy a little canary to take home as a souvenir but when they get them back to their hotel room they don't want them anymore. They flush them down the toilet where they can grow to massive proportions in the sewers beneath the city.

Juan Diego, mayor of Tenerife reassured the public. "This is a very rare occurrence. We do have some rather large canaries but they usually don't bother people. This one appeared to have had one too many Pink Ladies at the pool bar and got a little aggressive," said the mayor. "We don't think this will have an adverse effect on tourism."

Some tourists aren't so sure. "Mijn dree Juur uld Zon vass der wann da Burd attokken da Fulla" (My three year old son was there when the bird attacked the fellow), said a Norwegian woman who wished not to be identified. "Hij vass kraan and kraan en tokken lek 'Hoocum Beeg Burd makken dat tu da Fulla? Vat's rong met Beeg Burd?' (He was crying and crying and saying 'How come Big Bird is doing that to the man? What's wrong with Big Bird?')

Apparently, the little tyke mistook the canary for the popular Sesame Street character. "Ooo ja, Wij habben Sesame Street in Noorvoogen bot ver kollen et Haarringen Straat. (Oh yes, we have Sesame Street in Norway but we call it Herring Street) said the mother.

If anyone on the island encounters the suspect, authorities stress that one should keep the conversation light and refrain from any mention of budgies or finches.