(Pareeerica)

NOVATO, Calif.—Authorities in the Bay area town of Novato are flapping about the theft of a park statue—a 700-pound bronze pelican.

The Marin Independent Journal says the statue, titled "Omay"—a Miwok Indian word for pelican—apparently was stolen over the weekend from a park near Scottsdale Pond.

The statue was commissioned by the city council in 2007 at a cost of $27,500. It's nine feet tall with a 10-foot wingspan.

Novato police say it may have been stolen for its metal but the motive isn't clear yet. They're offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the thieves.