Watch the Birdy

West Des Moines, Iowa, June 8, 2007:

A ball hit by Rob Lowe during a celebrity golf game hit the Iowa state bird in mid-flight Wednesday.

The 43-year-old actor was hitting an approach shot on the fourth hole when his ball hit a goldfinch, dropping about 50 yards short of the green, The Des Moines Register reported.

As the rest of the players in his group broke out in laughter and applause, Lowe raised his arms in mock celebration.

"That's my birdie," he said after looking at the bird, which lay motionless on the ground.

"That's unbelievable. Who comes here and kills the state bird? Only me."

Lowe, who appears on ABC's Brothers & Sisters, was playing in Principal Charity Classic Pro-Am at the Glen Oaks Country Club. He also starred in NBC's The West Wing.

In an related story, Ronatarian Party founder and leader Ron killed a goldfinch Thursday morning when he "accidentally" hit it with his car. He insisted that the bird "took off too late" as he approached it in his famed Camaro.

However, witnesses claim the car accelerated as it approached the bird -- which was perched in a small bush some 10 feet away from the road.

Ron reported no damage to his vehicle and seemed to be proud of his actions, saying: "It's not everyday you get to kill something you love. Celebrities like Rob Lowe and O.J. didn't corner the market in that."

Both Iowa and New Jersey claim the Eastern Goldfinch as their state bird.

Posted by Bittle at June 8, 2007 07:17 AM