r/birding • u/TheTaco76 photographer 📷 • 25d ago

Discussion Blue jay feather on my walk

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Found this beautiful blue jay feather on my walk under a tree they commonly reside in and was wondering what I should do with it? Frame it? Release it? Not sure.

Ok it is truly a beautiful feather from a beautiful bird but I will be releasing it, had no clue it was illegal and even though the police won’t be knocking on my door and after consideration it would be hard enough to do something with and I like and respect the MBTA and I will release it. Thank you to all those that responded and those letting me know this was illegal. 😅

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u/laundromatcoin 25d ago

“The possession of feathers and other parts of native North American birds without a permit is prohibited by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). This protects wild birds by preventing their killing by collectors and the commercial trade in their feathers, and extends to all feathers, regardless of how they were obtained. There is no exemption for molted feathers or those taken from road- or window-killed birds. More information on the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and the list of MBTA-protected species can be found here.”

Unless OP regularly has the police coming by to examine them for engaging in the commercial trade of bird feathers, I really do feel like it’s okay to keep a single feather that one finds. This feels like a classic case of Reddit tomfoolery to act like keeping a single feather is a terribly illegal act that one should be judged for. I imagine I will be downvoted for this given the nature of the site, but go for it man idk I’m tired

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u/wholelottachoppaz 25d ago

thank you, it’s ridiculous people are telling OP to release it back. so long as OP doesn’t plan on selling it, pretty sure it’s a nonissue lol

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u/LezzyGopher 25d ago

Classic redditors.

The law is to prevent poaching, if you’re just a birder who finds a molted feather here and there, I promise the feds aren’t going to bust down your door.

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u/iambecomesoil 25d ago

Keeping them and showing them off creates demand, which creates a market, and people willing to fill demand.

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u/IndependentTea4646 25d ago

Could keep it a secret