Legislation to Ensure Bird Killers Become Jailbirds

It was one of the most shocking and sickening scourges of bird-related crime since Congress passed the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in 1918. A 14-month undercover investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's law enforcement division revealed that thousands of peregrine falcons, Cooper's hawks, and red-tailed hawks were deliberately killed in California, Oregon, and Washington. The culprits were members of "roller pigeon clubs" -- enthusiasts of domestic pigeons specially bred for their seizure-like ability to do rapid backward somersaults while flying. To protect their aerial acrobats from any chance encounter with a predator, these callous club members killed the protected birds of prey by shooting, trapping, poisoning, clubbing, baiting birds into glass panels, and even baiting birds with pigeons rigged with fishing hooks.

Thousands of birds have been tortured and killed 
in California, Oregon and Washington.

Ted Williams cataloged in Audubon Magazine some of the particularly ghastly and gleeful quotes from roller pigeon club members bragging about killing the birds. One individual told an undercover agent that after he catches hawks, at the rate of about one per week, he "pummels them with a stick" and that it is a "great thing... you'll see, you get a lot of frustration out." Another advised: "Just put some draino liquid on some of your weaker birds and let them take them and bye bye baby. Make sure you rub it on the back of their necks."

Four of the peregrine falcons had hatched from eggs that had been rescued by the Audubon Society of Portland from a bridge under construction. The fledglings were raised with great care until they could be released into the wild on the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. A roller pigeon fan shot them across the street from the refuge, and then recounted the tale: "I laughed and laughed when I heard this story because of all the pain staking measures they took to get these birds to adolescence and than to have someone take them out simply was bliss!!"

Despite the premeditated and rampant nature of these illegal killings, the men involved were sentenced with modest fines, community service, and probation. Unlike the raptors themselves, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act simply has no teeth. Convicted bird killers routinely escape with little more than a slap on the wrist, since the federal penalty for killing a protected bird is only a Class B misdemeanor. You face the same penalty for killing a falcon or hawk as you would for the unauthorized use of the Forest Service's "Woodsy Owl" and "Smokey Bear" characters.

As we have seen with dogfighters and cockfighters, people who intentionally break the law will not be deterred by anemic penalties, which they consider simply the cost of doing business. It's only now that all 50 states have felony penalties for dogfighting, 39 states have felony penalties for cockfighting, and we have a strong national policy making animal fighting a federal felony, that we have begun to see a major dismantling of organized animal fighting rings. (The cockfighters, too, are repeat offenders when it comes to killing migratory birds. They leave fighting roosters tied up outside in yards, and use "catch poles" mounted with steel-jawed leghold traps and baited with meat to kill hawks, eagles, and owls who descend toward the gamefowl.)

In response to this problem, U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) has introduced H.R. 2062, the Migratory Bird Treaty Penalty and Enforcement Act, which would provide a much-needed upgrade to one of the nation's most important conservation laws. The bill would give federal prosecutors the option of pursuing felony-level penalties for the intentional killing of raptors, and would finally provide a meaningful deterrent of prison time and hefty fines.

"Like the recent horrific practice of dog fighting and the subsequent congressional response, it is time that Congress act to give the federal government expanded authority to prosecute and punish violations of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which protects raptors and birds of prey like the peregrine falcon," said DeFazio. "Even the most egregious violations have resulting in nothing more than slaps on the wrist."

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act was passed nearly a century ago, with the goal of protecting the winged creatures in our skies from needless killing. By passing Rep. DeFazio's important conservation and anti-crime legislation, Congress can now make sure the law has teeth--and the bird killers become jailbirds.

Follow Michael Markarian on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mmarkarian

Comments

[ezeflyer]

I lived in the Caribbean where cockfighting is a long tradition. Gamecocks are beautiful, most colorful birds, more like pheasants than Chickfillet. They are fed a variety of good food and given vitamins, exercise and the best of care. They are kept caged individually, since they would rather fight than anything else, and away from any predatory birds. After they've had a few fights, most of them are let loose to breed with a harem of hens, like with fighting bulls. What Rhode Island Red wouldn't trade places with a gamecock?

The part of using gamecocks as hawk bait, in the Caribbean at least, is the worst error about cockfighting in your otherwise fine article. I've never seen or heard of anyone doing that, or that cockfighters in the Caribbean ever even worry about predatory birds. They worry more about mongooses that eat the eggs and chicks. BTW, We don't eat pit bulls, so I don't justify putting them at risk by fighting them.

Hawk killing pigeon fanciers will need high fines, jail terms and people dedicated to ending this environmental crime.

[dayala]

absolutely abhorrent and disgusting­...these people need to become 'jailbirds'.

[StopGlobalWarmingBeVegan]

Be veg

[DamaskinosWasRight]

Roller pigeons?

I cannot think of anything adequately condescending.
.

[DamaskinosWasRight]

I retract that statement.

Not all pigeon people kill stupid animals for no good reason.
.

[inc3000]

What the F. first, there is NO reason at all to kill "stupid animals". So much ignorance in this world. Pigeon club? come on, these "stupid" people need a life and books...lo­ts and lots of books..to read that is..

[patianneb]

If "stupid" were the critera for allowing animals (human and otherwise) to be killed, there would be no overpopulation problem, now would there.

[frustratedinohio]

Our laws need to evolve to the understanding that if you can kill a bird, you can kill a human being. Killing is killing. Period. So if you kill a bird, you get put away. Of course, hunting would have to end. Government sanctioned killing would have to end. It may sound extreme, but that's the world I want to live in.

Sometimes the horror of it is so hard to take. Thirty-six thousand dogs clubbed to death in China. I can't even imagine that. It is a holocost. But still I come to this site and read about it. As if it's a duty, to be knowlegeable of these terrible crimes. These poor, helpless, lovely creatures.

[Mesaywar]

With all respect, we get it. But, please keep in mind that it is these types of over-blown pronouncements that make it possible for folks to call those of us interested in humane responsibility nutballs and kooks.