In the late 1990s a rooster called Charlie, a Red Island Rhode who lived at the bottom of Mako Street became the centre of a heated wrangle, when neighbours complained of his early morning antics. His elderly owner Bert Saunders stood firm and the matter occupied much council time and many centimetres of opinion. Innocent Charlie became a symbol for the fight to maintain Waiheke's semi-rural lifestyle. Eventually Bert and Charlie won and rooster rights were established. After Bert died Charlie was relocated to Awaawaroa Bay.
At other times, too, roosters have dominated the island newscape - a growing flock on the road to Matiatia was culled in the early 2000s, after being deemed a traffic hazard. Some were relocated to the entrance to Onetangi Sports Park after a group of islanders, Friends of the Roosters, agreed to take responsibility for their feeding.
In 2005 Auckland City served an abatement notice on the Surfdale farmlet of islander Dick Thompson after neighbours complained of rooster torture.
At one time a flag bearing the image of a rooster flew proudly in Alison Park, and was even for a while acknowledged by some as the island's flag. The accompanying slogan was: Crow Waiheke.
Storyteller Tanya Batt made a spoof film about roosters in response.
The late Zinni Douglas also created a portrait of the humble island rooster. When Zinni died in 2007, poet Alex Stone wrote: "Roosters will strut no more."