a question about feathers

annie_griffin · 03-10-2008, 09:43 AM

I collect feathers on my walks. No eagles, hawks or even turkeys for that matter. Usually I find duck feathers,some feathers from songbirds. A heron feather if I'm lucky. I was thinking of making a fan with the duck feathers. They are small but very beautiful.
I usually wash them and let them sit for a few days before handling them much. So my question,is there any reason not to use them?

annie

**Josiah** · 03-10-2008, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by annie_griffin

I collect feathers on my walks. No eagles, hawks or even turkeys for that matter. Usually I find duck feathers,some feathers from songbirds. A heron feather if I'm lucky. I was thinking of making a fan with the duck feathers. They are small but very beautiful.
I usually wash them and let them sit for a few days before handling them much. So my question,is there any reason not to use them?

annie

No,
Having said that just confirm they are not protected by the various laws...
Migratory Bird Laws for one
Protected species acts
Endangered species acts

annie_griffin · 03-10-2008, 11:09 AM

Josiah,
Thanks. I will check the laws but I have to say it seems odd that
anyone should care if a person picks up feathers off the ground.

-annie

**walela49** · 03-10-2008, 11:43 AM

chances are the duck feathers you found are not from an endangered species...if they were, I challenge ANY game warden to ID them by sight!!! lol....my old ornithology professors probably couldn't do that!

most ducks and geese are included in the Migratory Bird Act...here's a summary of that law: Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918

taken literally, nearly every bird migrates and thus would be included and protected by this law...someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe there are a FEW species specific exclusions (written in subsequent amendments to the MBA) like starlings and house sparrows (considered to be introduced/non-native "pest" species)

now, generally speaking, these laws that protect our N.American birds are written to give lawmakers the power to prosecute offenders

now let's define offenders........in my opinion "offenders" do not include someone picking up "found" feathers

offenders that warrant prosecution include:

poachers (someone who shoots eagles, hawks, condors, etc.)
black market traders (pets, illegal imports, exotic foods, etc)
anyone who engages in intentional destruction of known protected habitats (farmers, rancers, commercial real estate developers, etc)

these are the issues and people that the lawmakers WILL spend their time pursuing for prosecution and will need those laws to do so

law makers and game wardens really aren't too concerned with everyday citizens admiring or collecting found feathers.............until those private citizens begin harming birds and their habitats or try to benefit monetarily from those bird parts (selling found feathers of protected birds is a no-no)

so enjoy and treasure your found feathers and rest assured that no one is going to knock on your door and try to confiscate your feathers and fine you or haul you off to jail (remember if anyone claims to be a game warden, the burden of proof is on them)

Is anyone going to "look down on you" for using duck feathers? NO WAY...don't fall for that powwow snobbery!! LOL

Remember, would someone 300 years ago have equally treasured those found duck feathers??? I should hope so!! ;)

enjoy!

annie_griffin · 03-10-2008, 11:52 AM

Josiah,
Wow. I should have gone to law school instead of art school.
I did learn that you shouldn't hunt crows on Sundays in
New Jersey. Seeing as I am not a hunter and would never hunt
a crow I guess that tidbit wasn't helpful. For some reason the red winged blackbird is considered an agricultural nuisance.
I see those beautiful birds down by the creek and they don't seem
to be annoying any agriculture. In New Jersey I'd have to say
that highways and housing developments would be more of an agricultural nuisance. Maybe they are on the migratory bird list too.

-annie

annie_griffin · 03-10-2008, 12:36 PM

Walela,
Thank you for your clear insight and encouragement.
Well really I figure if I am honest with myself I probably have a lot
more in common with the ducks anyway.

Rather domesticated hanging around the pond.

-annie

**Josiah** · 03-10-2008, 01:33 PM

My motto is never assume and always check
But from what I am reading you will be safe using them for your own purposes!

I am always surprised by what is in the law books
So when I give advice I always say check the laws first!

**Josiah** · 03-10-2008, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walela49

chances are the duck feathers you found are not from an endangered species...if they were, I challenge ANY game warden to ID them by sight!!! lol....my old ornithology professors probably couldn't do that!

most ducks and geese are included in the Migratory Bird Act...here's a summary of that law: Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918

taken literally, nearly every bird migrates and thus would be included and protected by this law...someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe there are a FEW species specific exclusions (written in subsequent amendments to the MBA) like starlings and house sparrows (considered to be introduced/non-native "pest" species)

now, generally speaking, these laws that protect our N.American birds are written to give lawmakers the power to prosecute offenders

now let's define offenders........in my opinion "offenders" do not include someone picking up "found" feathers

offenders that warrant prosecution include:

poachers (someone who shoots eagles, hawks, condors, etc.)
black market traders (pets, illegal imports, exotic foods, etc)
anyone who engages in intentional destruction of known protected habitats (farmers, rancers, commercial real estate developers, etc)

these are the issues and people that the lawmakers WILL spend their time pursuing for prosecution and will need those laws to do so

law makers and game wardens really aren't too concerned with everyday citizens admiring or collecting found feathers.............until those private citizens begin harming birds and their habitats or try to benefit monetarily from those bird parts (selling found feathers of protected birds is a no-no)

so enjoy and treasure your found feathers and rest assured that no one is going to knock on your door and try to confiscate your feathers and fine you or haul you off to jail (remember if anyone claims to be a game warden, the burden of proof is on them)

Is anyone going to "look down on you" for using duck feathers? NO WAY...don't fall for that powwow snobbery!! LOL

Remember, would someone 300 years ago have equally treasured those found duck feathers??? I should hope so!! ;)

enjoy!

Good post

**walela49** · 03-10-2008, 01:46 PM

thanks!
I totally had on my "teacher hat" LOL

annie_griffin · 03-10-2008, 01:52 PM

Josiah,
Thanks again. You were absolutely right to suggest about checking the laws.

So I was all excited to get started on this fan only to find that
a chipmunk ate (mauled) the feathers. How do I know this
well the poor thing was lying dead on the floor of my shed where
the feathers were drying.

I try not to be superstitious but I don't like this at all.
Not to mention I am disappointed about the feathers.

-annie

Cheshire Cat · 03-10-2008, 02:24 PM

Quote:

offenders that warrant prosecution include:
poachers (someone who shoots eagles, hawks, condors, etc.)
black market traders (pets, illegal imports, exotic foods, etc)
anyone who engages in intentional destruction of known protected habitats (farmers, rancers, commercial real estate developers, etc)

these are the issues and people that the lawmakers WILL spend their time pursuing for prosecution and will need those laws to do so

law makers and game wardens really aren't too concerned with everyday citizens admiring or collecting found feathers.............until those private citizens begin harming birds and their habitats or try to benefit monetarily from those bird parts (selling found feathers of protected birds is a no-no)

Actually they will and have done so. I have personally witnessed this. The feathers were those that were picked up from the ground....some song bird feathers that were molted and some a cat had killed. You do NOT take chances where you are not sure about feathers. Just leave them alone or never show them to anyone if you do.

Czechy · 03-10-2008, 04:05 PM

Yeah, that's the problem. You can not PROVE to the authorities that you found such-n-such feathers on the ground rather than by killing a protected bird or purchasing from some black market dealer. They don't give you the benefit of the doubt in that regard. I also have heard of people fined for using found songbird feathers in dreamcatchers and other stuff for sale. The wildlife laws are online and a Google search will net you all the info you could ever want.

Cheshire Cat · 03-10-2008, 06:40 PM

It does NOT matter where you get the feathers...on the ground or from a caged wild bird or what ever...you cannot have the feathers. So NO story will be believed by the authoreties nor do the care.

03-10-2008, 09:43 AM	#1 (permalink)
annie_griffin Junior Dancer Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: new jersey Posts: 238	a question about feathers I collect feathers on my walks. No eagles, hawks or even turkeys for that matter. Usually I find duck feathers,some feathers from songbirds. A heron feather if I'm lucky. I was thinking of making a fan with the duck feathers. They are small but very beautiful. I usually wash them and let them sit for a few days before handling them much. So my question,is there any reason not to use them? annie

03-10-2008, 11:09 AM	#3 (permalink)
annie_griffin Junior Dancer Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: new jersey Posts: 238	thanks Josiah, Thanks. I will check the laws but I have to say it seems odd that anyone should care if a person picks up feathers off the ground. -annie

03-10-2008, 11:43 AM	#4 (permalink)
walela49 the legal plumes lady! Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: www.walela49.com Posts: 1,156	chances are the duck feathers you found are not from an endangered species...if they were, I challenge ANY game warden to ID them by sight!!! lol....my old ornithology professors probably couldn't do that! most ducks and geese are included in the Migratory Bird Act...here's a summary of that law: Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 taken literally, nearly every bird migrates and thus would be included and protected by this law...someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe there are a FEW species specific exclusions (written in subsequent amendments to the MBA) like starlings and house sparrows (considered to be introduced/non-native "pest" species) now, generally speaking, these laws that protect our N.American birds are written to give lawmakers the power to prosecute offenders now let's define offenders........in my opinion "offenders" do not include someone picking up "found" feathers offenders that warrant prosecution include: poachers (someone who shoots eagles, hawks, condors, etc.) black market traders (pets, illegal imports, exotic foods, etc) anyone who engages in intentional destruction of known protected habitats (farmers, rancers, commercial real estate developers, etc) these are the issues and people that the lawmakers WILL spend their time pursuing for prosecution and will need those laws to do so law makers and game wardens really aren't too concerned with everyday citizens admiring or collecting found feathers.............until those private citizens begin harming birds and their habitats or try to benefit monetarily from those bird parts (selling found feathers of protected birds is a no-no) so enjoy and treasure your found feathers and rest assured that no one is going to knock on your door and try to confiscate your feathers and fine you or haul you off to jail (remember if anyone claims to be a game warden, the burden of proof is on them) Is anyone going to "look down on you" for using duck feathers? NO WAY...don't fall for that powwow snobbery!! LOL Remember, would someone 300 years ago have equally treasured those found duck feathers??? I should hope so!! ;) enjoy! __________________ See my trading post ads See my photo gallery See walela49's myspace page

03-10-2008, 11:52 AM	#5 (permalink)
annie_griffin Junior Dancer Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: new jersey Posts: 238	I should have gone to law school Josiah, Wow. I should have gone to law school instead of art school. I did learn that you shouldn't hunt crows on Sundays in New Jersey. Seeing as I am not a hunter and would never hunt a crow I guess that tidbit wasn't helpful. For some reason the red winged blackbird is considered an agricultural nuisance. I see those beautiful birds down by the creek and they don't seem to be annoying any agriculture. In New Jersey I'd have to say that highways and housing developments would be more of an agricultural nuisance. Maybe they are on the migratory bird list too. -annie

03-10-2008, 12:36 PM	#6 (permalink)
annie_griffin Junior Dancer Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: new jersey Posts: 238	hangin around the pond Walela, Thank you for your clear insight and encouragement. Well really I figure if I am honest with myself I probably have a lot more in common with the ducks anyway. Rather domesticated hanging around the pond. -annie

03-10-2008, 01:33 PM	#7 (permalink)
Josiah PowWows.com Addicts Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Oklahoma City Oklahoma USA Posts: 4,446 Blog Entries: 4	My motto is never assume and always check But from what I am reading you will be safe using them for your own purposes! I am always surprised by what is in the law books So when I give advice I always say check the laws first! __________________

03-10-2008, 01:46 PM	#9 (permalink)
walela49 the legal plumes lady! Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: www.walela49.com Posts: 1,156	thanks! I totally had on my "teacher hat" LOL __________________ See my trading post ads See my photo gallery See walela49's myspace page

03-10-2008, 01:52 PM	#10 (permalink)
annie_griffin Junior Dancer Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: new jersey Posts: 238	weird luck Josiah, Thanks again. You were absolutely right to suggest about checking the laws. So I was all excited to get started on this fan only to find that a chipmunk ate (mauled) the feathers. How do I know this well the poor thing was lying dead on the floor of my shed where the feathers were drying. I try not to be superstitious but I don't like this at all. Not to mention I am disappointed about the feathers. -annie

03-10-2008, 04:05 PM	#12 (permalink)
Czechy wrapped in ribbonwork! Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Here....for now Posts: 784	Yeah, that's the problem. You can not PROVE to the authorities that you found such-n-such feathers on the ground rather than by killing a protected bird or purchasing from some black market dealer. They don't give you the benefit of the doubt in that regard. I also have heard of people fined for using found songbird feathers in dreamcatchers and other stuff for sale. The wildlife laws are online and a Google search will net you all the info you could ever want.

03-10-2008, 06:40 PM	#13 (permalink)
Cheshire Cat Banned Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 141	It does NOT matter where you get the feathers...on the ground or from a caged wild bird or what ever...you cannot have the feathers. So NO story will be believed by the authoreties nor do the care.