Heidi Fleiss' Macaws Spark Las Vegas Neighbourhood Dispute Over Dawn Screeching
A homeowner in Las Vegas has ignited a neighbourhood dispute by claiming that two noisy macaws owned by former Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss have been waking her in the early hours of the morning. Shauna Cordova, who resides in the southeast Las Vegas Valley near Palm Eastern Mortuary, reports that the birds regularly perch on a wire outside her bedroom window and begin their piercing screeches at dawn.
"What in the Heck is Going On?"
"It has woken me up," Cordova told 8 News Now. "Nobody likes to get woke up. So when you get woke up, it puts you in a bad mood. You're like, what in the heck is going on?" She describes the macaws, named Gin and Juice, as belonging to Fleiss, who recently moved into an $850,000 property nearby. Cordova says the early-morning calls have become a near-daily disturbance, leaving her irritated.
Fleiss' History with Exotic Parrots
Heidi Fleiss, now 60, has long surrounded herself with exotic parrots. In 2022, the Daily Mail toured her remote Pahrump home, where she lived with more than 20 birds in a property transformed into a sprawling bird sanctuary. Fleiss became one of Hollywood's most notorious figures in the 1990s after running a high-end prostitution ring catering to wealthy clients and celebrities. She was convicted of pandering in 1995, though the conviction was later overturned, before serving 20 months in federal prison for tax evasion.
After leaving Los Angeles in the early 2000s, Fleiss relocated to rural Nevada and largely withdrew from public life, devoting much of her time to rescuing and caring for exotic parrots. Public records show she purchased her current Las Vegas property, which includes a bird aviary, for $850,000 in mid-February. She was drawn to the home after noticing large pine trees nearby and asking the owner if it was for sale.
Social Media Feud Erupts
The dispute spilled onto social media when Fleiss posted a video on Instagram, seemingly directed at her neighbour, of one of her parrots with the caption: 'What to do about the Karen next-door?' Her Instagram page largely consists of videos of her beloved parrots, often showing the colourful birds perched around her home or flying freely outdoors. Fleiss also appeared to address the conflict on the platform, posting a video of a bird in a tree with the same caption.
Cordova, who owns several animals herself including roosters, chickens, dogs, and a goat, says the macaws fly freely and frequently gather near her home. Fleiss defends this practice, stating she opposes keeping birds in cages. "I don't keep them in cages because it's wrong," she told 8 News Now. "To live and die in a cage – there's no justification for it."
Personal Tensions and Noise Complaints
Fleiss suggested the conflict with Cordova may be personal. "I think she just doesn't like me," Fleiss said. "And there's a lot of people like that. I can't try and change her mind." She added that she is willing to work with neighbours to address concerns, saying, "I'll do whatever I can to appease them, and I would like to talk to my neighbours." However, she also implied the complaints were exaggerated, remarking, "You know there are Karens everywhere, no matter what."
Cordova rejected this characterisation. "I'm not a Karen," she said. "I want everybody to be able to live their own life on their house." She has filed a noise complaint with Clark County and contacted code enforcement about the birds. Cordova believes county rules could limit the number of birds allowed on the property and restrict how long they can be kept outdoors.
Regulatory and Safety Concerns
A county map appears to show the homes fall within a bird strike hazard area due to their proximity to Harry Reid International Airport. Clark County officials did not immediately respond to questions about regulations before publication. Meanwhile, Fleiss is currently working on a Netflix documentary about her life and had a request for anyone who encounters her birds: "Please don't hurt them."
