Killing a State Bird: Harsher Crime?

[Tim Mayberry]

Let's say, in theory, one witnesses someone killing or injuring an official
"State Bird." (In the U.S., each state has its own official bird.) And let's
say, in theory, said miscreant was convicted of killing said bird. Would
there be a harsher penalty for doing so?

I ask because I've come across an issue of a young child throwing rocks at
birds. I just want to have a friendly "chat" with its parents to inform them
of the facts, and the repercussions of I see it again.

TIA

Tim

--
------------------------
If you bring lions to your home,
They'll want to stay for dinner. - Siegfried Javotnik

[Jerry Avins]

Post by Tim Mayberry
Let's say, in theory, one witnesses someone killing or injuring an official
"State Bird." (In the U.S., each state has its own official bird.) And let's
say, in theory, said miscreant was convicted of killing said bird. Would
there be a harsher penalty for doing so?
I ask because I've come across an issue of a young child throwing rocks at
birds. I just want to have a friendly "chat" with its parents to inform them
of the facts, and the repercussions of I see it again.

It must certainly depend on the individual state unless the answer is
"no" for all of them.

Jerry

[Josh Hayes]

Post by Tim Mayberry
Let's say, in theory, one witnesses someone killing or injuring an
official "State Bird." (In the U.S., each state has its own official
bird.) And let's say, in theory, said miscreant was convicted of
killing said bird. Would there be a harsher penalty for doing so?

IANAL, of course.

But in the US, birds are protected under a number of laws; nearly all
songbirds would be protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (for a
useful digest, see http://laws.fws.gov/lawsdigest/migtrea.html).

That would cover just about anything I can think of for state birds;
even cardinals migrate.

It's astonishing the depth of feeling such destruction engenders. At my
kids's school, a couple of years ago while I was there a child throwing
a tantrum grabbed a stick and swiped down a barn swallow nest (before
the eggs had been laid, thank goodness), and despite being a Quaker, and
a loving grownup, I wanted to take that kid and smack her. Hard.

I didn't, of course. I did, however, grab her by the arm and march her
down to the principal's office, where, of course, she got in trouble --
but what good did that do for the birds? For the next week, the pair of
swallows tried to rebuild, before giving up and moving on. And two years
later, they still haven't come back. One moment's pique.

I have a memory of seeing a report of some stupid teenagers here in
Washington state destroying an osprey nest by firing bottle rockets (for
you non-USA types, they're basically tiny little fireworks) into the
nest. Again, the nest was under construction, no eggs had been laid, but
they did manage to catch it on fire and destroy it. As I recall, the
court sentenced them to a year of working for the local fish and
wildlife agency so that they'd get to know the creatures they had so
off-handedly abused. I can't find a reference on the net, however; maybe
it was a dream?

On the plus side, however, in the US, people are very dog-phobic, and
Seattle is no different: we have a number of "off-leash" areas, where
dogs are allowed to be off the leash. In my local such area, a brave, or
stupid, or both, robin had made a nest in the crook of a tree dangling
over a very busy dog run. Only two or three dog owners noticed, and we
didn't point it out to anyone. The (very nervous!) parents fledged a
crop of three kids and departed. Some people love animals. Some people
fail to appreciate that they themselves ARE animals. We're a strange
critter, we are.

-JAH

[Eric Miller]

Post by Tim Mayberry
Let's say, in theory, one witnesses someone killing or injuring an official
"State Bird." (In the U.S., each state has its own official bird.) And let's
say, in theory, said miscreant was convicted of killing said bird. Would
there be a harsher penalty for doing so?
I ask because I've come across an issue of a young child throwing rocks at
birds. I just want to have a friendly "chat" with its parents to inform them
of the facts, and the repercussions of I see it again.
TIA
Tim
--
------------------------
If you bring lions to your home,
They'll want to stay for dinner. - Siegfried Javotnik

There is no such law in Louisiana. Brown Pelican, in case you were
wondering.

Eric Miller

[R***@webtv.net]

Tim, in my state, charges are pending at this time, against two young
teens who killed 2 bald eagles....tho, I think one was an older man. and
then they chopped up the eagles.
Rachell ~ Great Lakes

[John J. Collins]

It would be hard to kill the state bird of Delaware -- the Blue Hen --
inasmuch as it is an extinct farmbird! (I understand the University of
Delaware is spending a bundle on trying to resurect the species through
cross breeding of various chickens. Amazing!)

Some state birds are game birds and therefore are allowed to be hunted in
their states! (i.e. Pennsylvania - Ruffed Grouse; California - California
Quail; South Dakota - Ring-necked Phaesant).

In some states, the state bird is an endangered species or species of
special concern so you would be in deep doodoo indeed if you shot one (i.e.
the Nene in Hawaii; the Brown Pelican in Louisiana -- even if it has made a
remarkable comeback).
--
John J. Collins
Whitestone, NY
"Without birds, where would we have learned that there can be song in the
heart?" Hal Borland

Post by Tim Mayberry
Let's say, in theory, one witnesses someone killing or injuring an official
"State Bird." (In the U.S., each state has its own official bird.) And let's
say, in theory, said miscreant was convicted of killing said bird. Would
there be a harsher penalty for doing so?
I ask because I've come across an issue of a young child throwing rocks at
birds. I just want to have a friendly "chat" with its parents to inform them
of the facts, and the repercussions of I see it again.
TIA
Tim
--
------------------------
If you bring lions to your home,
They'll want to stay for dinner. - Siegfried Javotnik

[Josh Hayes]

Post by John J. Collins
Some state birds are game birds and therefore are allowed to be hunted
in their states! (i.e. Pennsylvania - Ruffed Grouse; California -
California Quail; South Dakota - Ring-necked Phaesant).

What?

Isn't the ring-necked pheasant (no, I'm not going to ding your spelling; I
do too many typos myself!) a non-native bird?

Seems strange to have that as one's state bird, like having, what, European
starlings as the state bird or something.

-Josh

[d***@mail.ab.edu]

Post by Josh Hayes

Post by John J. Collins
Some state birds are game birds and therefore are allowed to be hunted
in their states! (i.e. Pennsylvania - Ruffed Grouse; California -
California Quail; South Dakota - Ring-necked Phaesant).

What?
Isn't the ring-necked pheasant (no, I'm not going to ding your spelling; I
do too many typos myself!) a non-native bird?

Not only that, SD touts itself as a pheasant hunter's paradise.


J. Del Col

[John J. Collins]

Well, Rhode Island's state bird is also a domestic bird (the Rhode Island
Red chicken).
--
John J. Collins
Whitestone, NY
"Without birds, where would we have learned that there can be song in the
heart?" Hal Borland

Post by Josh Hayes

Post by John J. Collins
Some state birds are game birds and therefore are allowed to be hunted
in their states! (i.e. Pennsylvania - Ruffed Grouse; California -
California Quail; South Dakota - Ring-necked Phaesant).

What?
Isn't the ring-necked pheasant (no, I'm not going to ding your spelling; I
do too many typos myself!) a non-native bird?
Seems strange to have that as one's state bird, like having, what, European
starlings as the state bird or something.
-Josh