This dead Turkey Vulture was in the ditch next to the road where I was checking some new land. It was most likely a vehicle impact while it was scavenging some other dead creature. I covered it with branches to keep the fox and coyotes and possums from disbursing the skull and bones, and will come back in a month to see if a decent skull and other bits can be salvaged for the collection.
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Collecting the parts of a migratory bird, even one killed by accident like is prohibited by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. A permit must be in place. Don't agree with the regulation, but just informing you of the law. https://www.fws.gov/forms/3-200-7.pdf
Among the laws I am not too worried about are MBTA violations of a well-documented road kill of a not-endangered, common, and (this being late December) an actually not migrating Turkey Vulture. I used to work for Audubon and I do not recall a single arrest of a hunter for shooting song birds along with doves at the sunflower fields planted by the DNR to expedite the killing. The Trump Administration just gave a green light to the oil and gas industry mass killing MBTA birds for profit. The MBTA was written to put an end to eagle feather collecting for war bonnets sold to touristts, mass shootings for feather collection for the hat trade, putting an end to Victorian egg collection of rare species, etc. it’s evoked to stop mass shootings and poisonings of nuisance birds without a permit. Under the MBTA the two feathers from the Cooper-hawk killed woodpecker I keep on the cabinet are also illegal. Not worried about that either. I live dangerously. 😄
Remember the arrest of the woman who made a dreamcatcher from raptor and eagle feathers and gave to the Clintons? http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2000-10-27/news/0010270199_1_pardon-convicted-hillary-rodham-clinton The eagle feathers do not go to tourists. They are exchanged to each other. Native Americans have developed a skill called 'Feathersmithing' where they meticulously paint non-protected species feathers (such as turkey or goose) to resemble MTBA protected bird feathers. Game officers often visit PowWows to look for illegal feathers or to be tested in training to spot illegal feather trade. I've seen the feathersmithing and one game officer told me he takes his trainees to these events to teach them how to spot the real deal. As a falconer of over 40 decades I am highly aware of this.
I doubt anyone much is protecting TVs, nor is there a need. I was a little worried that TV roadkill was the Holiday message. I'm depressed enough as it is. Glad to see subsequent posts. Hope you get a nice clean skull!
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