How illegal is it to own feathers of a bird that is native to the USA, not a pest bird, and not a bird of prey... what I'm thinking is blue jay. I found 3 tail feathers of a blue jay and was wondering if it was legal to keep 'em. Another just a random thought - how would imping a blue jay's feather on a kestrel's broken tail feather work out??
Last Edit: Jul 29, 2010 21:03:56 GMT -5 by username
Post by Master Yarak on Jul 30, 2010 6:24:27 GMT -5
Yes it is illegal to possess ANY protected species feathers. In fact if you have a Kestrel on your permit you cannot have RT feathers just Kestrel feathers. Now are they going to enforce that, I doubt it. Now you know. Yarak
If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away
How illegal is it to own feathers of a bird that is native to the USA, not a pest bird, and not a bird of prey... what I'm thinking is blue jay. I found 3 tail feathers of a blue jay and was wondering if it was legal to keep 'em. Another just a random thought - how would imping a blue jay's feather on a kestrel's broken tail feather work out??
If there is a hunting season on it, you can have the feathers. there is no season for blue jays, so you can not have the feathers.
"We promised the world we'd tame it, what were we hoping for?" -Bloc Party
just to put into prospective of how illegal it is... i just saw a documentary about illegal bird feathers on tv. 1 lady had bird feeders in her back yard, so naturall she had a bunch of bird that dropped feathers. she had collected the feathers and made art work out of it. she displayed the art at a show and 3 federal agents came in a confiscated the art work cause it had feathers of protectes song birds in there. she had to make a deal to stay out of jail.
another lady worked at a Zoo. she was collecting eagle feathers and making "dream catchers", or some sort of indian type artifact, and selling them.
5 years in jail.
so since i am a licensesed falconer i wont even let my kids pick up feathers any more, kind of sad really. but i understand the need.
"she had to make a deal to stay out of jail.....another lady worked at a Zoo. she was collecting eagle feathers and making "dream catchers", or some sort of indian type artifact, and selling them...5 years in jail."
Don't we love the Federal Guvmint?
They won't deal with the illegal invasion but leap at a chance to put an old lady in jail for feathers.
Here in San Bernardino a "Tumbler Pigeon" fancier boasted of having a five gallon bucket of hawk talons and was actually caught with them. A 5 year sting operation of the actual killing of BOP's. Some panty waist liberal judge let him off with a 2000.00 fine. No jail time.
Dam those old lady feather pick-er-uppers. ..
Last Edit: Jul 31, 2010 22:42:13 GMT -5 by threetoe
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"The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money." - Margaret Thatcher
The illegalities have already been discussed, but I wanted to touch on the imping portion of it.
The tailfeathers might work in a pinch, but as always it's better to have the same species or similar.
For example--I had no merlin feathers, and I trimmed (THAT was a fun project) and imped in tiercel peregrine feathers into my merlin's tail. Heard pigeon feathers work OK as well. The peregrine feathers worked better than having nothing there at all.
If you dislike someone, walk a mile in their shoes. Then, you are a mile away from them, and you have their shoes. --Jack Handy
The illegalities have already been discussed, but I wanted to touch on the imping portion of it.
The tailfeathers might work in a pinch, but as always it's better to have the same species or similar.
For example--I had no merlin feathers, and I trimmed (THAT was a fun project) and imped in tiercel peregrine feathers into my merlin's tail. Heard pigeon feathers work OK as well. The peregrine feathers worked better than having nothing there at all.
thats funny.... a few years ago my sponsor took an eyass coops, as we all know an eyass coops goes thru tail feathers like toilet paper. he got tired of imping coops feathers so he imped harris hawk tail on. it lasted long enough for him to release her and she kept it in the wild for a while. he saw her at the ranch he owns and released her on.
Thanks for all the info... I was thinking they were illegal, but didn't know for sure (sence I didn't actually kill 'em). And thanks for answering about the "imping a feather belonging to another bird" question too. I'll try to keep the novice random apprentice questions to a minimum haha.
Last Edit: Aug 6, 2010 20:56:24 GMT -5 by username
Post by strigiform on Sept 21, 2014 0:38:52 GMT -5
In part, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act reads . . .
Sec. 703. Taking, killing or possessing migratory birds unlawful
"Unless and except as permitted by regulations made as hereinafter provided in this subchapter, it shall be unlawful at any time, by any means or in any manner, to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, attempt to take, capture, or kill, posses, offer for sale, sell, offer to barter, barter, offer to purchase, purchase, deliver for shipment, ship, export, import, caused to be shipped, exported or imported, deliver for transportation, transport or cause to be transported, carry or cause to be carried, or receive for shipment, transportation, carriage, or export, any migratory bird, any part, nest, or eggs of any such bird, or any product, whether or not manufactured, which consists, or is composed in whole or part, of any such bird or any part, nest, or egg thereof, included in the terms of the conventions between the United States and Great Britain for the protection of migratory birds concluded August 16, 1916 (39 Stat. 1702), the United States and the United Mexican States for the protection of migratoy birds and game mammals concluded February 7, 1936. . . AND A COUPLE OF ROWS DOWN IT NAMES FEATHERS AND i BELIEVE IT STARTED SOME WHERE AROUND $2000.00 AND WENT TO $15,000 PER OCCURRENCE
Last Edit: Sept 21, 2014 0:39:34 GMT -5 by strigiform