When you think of bird poaching for the pet trade, your mind might leap to the decimation of parrots in the Neotropics or the smuggling of rarities from Asia. But common songbirds in the heart of a bustling metropolis in one of the world’s great alleged superpowers are not spared from human greed, either.
Via the Prospect Park bird blog, a disturbing report:
“Oddest thing in PP this evening — a couple (in their 50s) trying to capture orioles in a net attached to 20′ long pole.”
Capturing, harming, or possessing any of North America’s native songbirds without a proper permit is, of course, prohibited by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, along with various state laws. This isn’t the first time this sort of thing has come to light in Brooklyn.
Besides being a tragedy for the birds that are caught (many of which will die rapidly but horribly from improper care) and a massive stressor for those that are chased or disturbed, the illicit bird trade can spread diseases among various bird populations and even result in the introduction of invasive species to new ecosystems.
If you’re in Brooklyn and come across bird poaching or bird smuggling activity, Peter Dorosh and Rob Jett have assembled a helpful list of contact information here.
Anyone in New York State can use the DEC tip line to report harassment or capture of wild birds, as described here.
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June 18, 2009 at 1:26 am
That’s awful. I had no idea people still did that in the U.S., let alone in an urban area.
June 18, 2009 at 11:56 am
I know that the recession has hit some folks hard but there can’t be much meat on orioles…
I kid, I kid, that is crazy.
June 18, 2009 at 4:47 pm
It is pretty stunning, isn’t it? I’d like more information on where these birds are ending up; are they staying in the U.S. or is there a market for North American songbirds among collectors in Europe and Asia, the same as some unscrupulous individuals collect their songbirds here?