Prospect: Disturbing Bird Pet trade /capture behavior

I received this note from Stephen Blacklocks witnessing two miscreants trying to capture Baltimore Orioles. Under the federal Migratory ACT 1918, this is illegal ( esp with nests). Please be on watch and call the police if you see such illicit behavior. Cite the federal Migratory Bird ACT 1918 as invoked. THe NYSDEC enforcement should also be contacted

http://www.fws.gov/laws/lawsdigest/migtrea.html

http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/393.html

if you have suggestions, email me at prosbird@aol.com and I'll pass along to this blog.



Hi Peter!

Oddest thing in PP this evening -- a couple (in their 50s) trying to capture orioles in a net attached to 20' long pole. They were at the nest by the roadway halfway down the hill towards the lake. I was running, and stopped to tell them what they were doing was illegal. They didn't seem to care much, but stopped while I stood talking to them. I saw a cop car at the bottom of the hill when I continued running and told the cops what I had seen -- they didn't seem to impressed even when I pointed out that the couple was committing a crime under federal law!

Has this couple been seen before? I guess they were trying to capture the birds to have as cage birds, and I bet that they will try again if the cops didn't warn them off. Maybe you could put out the word in the park to watch out for them. They're easily spotted by the makeshift pole they had with them.

Stephen Blacklocks