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This really torques me off! :angry:
FREELAND, Wash. -- Two federally-protected red-tailed hawks have been shot out of the sky on Whidbey Island.
The birds were found on the south end of the island, where red-tailed hawks are a familiar site for locals.
"I think it had been shot maybe 2 weeks before, and just got a bad infection and was starving and finally ended up in somebody's yard," said veterinarian David Parent
Parent says the wounds suggest the birds were hit by a pellet, or possibly a .22.
"And it was probably while the bird was flying," he said.
He says the birds were alive when they were brought to his clinic in Freeland, but the birds had to be put down.
Lu Ogle lives near where one of the wounded birds was found and fears the birds were shot by kids looking for a thrill.
"I think anyone is very cruel who would even think of doing such a thing," she said.
Getting caught shooting a red-tailed hawk is a lot more serious than, say, hunting without a license. The birds are federally protected by laws preserving migrant birds and whoever did it could face federal charges. Shooting a red-tailed hawk is a felony that could get you up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
"I can't imagine a motive for doing this," Parent said. " 'Oh, there's a big bird up there, let's see if we can hit it,' or something like that, and that's a pretty disgusting motive if you ask me."
Parent hopes whoever shot these birds will think twice before another ends up on his table.
In the meantime, The Department of Fish and Wildlife is investigating, and the Humane Society is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest.
FREELAND, Wash. -- Two federally-protected red-tailed hawks have been shot out of the sky on Whidbey Island.
The birds were found on the south end of the island, where red-tailed hawks are a familiar site for locals.
"I think it had been shot maybe 2 weeks before, and just got a bad infection and was starving and finally ended up in somebody's yard," said veterinarian David Parent
Parent says the wounds suggest the birds were hit by a pellet, or possibly a .22.
"And it was probably while the bird was flying," he said.
He says the birds were alive when they were brought to his clinic in Freeland, but the birds had to be put down.
Lu Ogle lives near where one of the wounded birds was found and fears the birds were shot by kids looking for a thrill.
"I think anyone is very cruel who would even think of doing such a thing," she said.
Getting caught shooting a red-tailed hawk is a lot more serious than, say, hunting without a license. The birds are federally protected by laws preserving migrant birds and whoever did it could face federal charges. Shooting a red-tailed hawk is a felony that could get you up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
"I can't imagine a motive for doing this," Parent said. " 'Oh, there's a big bird up there, let's see if we can hit it,' or something like that, and that's a pretty disgusting motive if you ask me."
Parent hopes whoever shot these birds will think twice before another ends up on his table.
In the meantime, The Department of Fish and Wildlife is investigating, and the Humane Society is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest.
