The dead-bird detective

theWeek ^ | Feb 5, 2017 | Chris Sweeney

[Daffynition]

Pepper Trail is the first to admit he has an unusual skill set. Give him a single feather or a small fragment of a claw or a cooked hunk of breast meat, and he'll tell you the species of bird from which it came. As the world's leading criminal forensic ornithologist, Trail is asked day in and day out to perform these exact tasks. Over the past 18 years he has assisted with hundreds of investigations, testified in federal court 15 times, and handled more bird carcasses than anyone should. "All birders have life lists," Trail says. "I have a death list."

[Daffynition]

*Pepper Trail*?

He sounds like the salt-of-the-earth kinda guy.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

If you asked me to come up with an oddball profession, never in a thousand years would I think of “criminal forensic ornithologist.” I can’t imagine much demand for consultants to answer “did the cat eat my canary?”

[Stormdog]

“He sounds like the salt-of-the-earth kinda guy.”

I read the article. He appears to be well seasoned.

[hal ogen]

With all the birds shredded by wind power facilities each day I bet he is very busy.

[KarlInOhio]

I could have used him a couple of days times when I found a feather explosion on my yard. Was it a hawk or cat that ate the victim?

[Daffynition]

[DaveA37]

“.......oddball profession, never in a thousand years would I think of “criminal forensic ornithologist.”.........

Guess you haven't reviewed any of the millions of weired college degree's dolled out and the “nutty professors” who teach those recipients. One thing for certain, if someone needs some odd ball expert, those specialized degrees demand high compensations.

[bgill]

Run the evidence through a DNA machine.

[BuffaloJack]

Interesting photo.
Dorothy Kilgallen, first from left, a columnist for the Journal-American, died under suspicious circumstances in 1965 after posting several articles on the Kennedy Assassination.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

LOL...that sure dates us, huh? How many will get it?

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I didn’t know that about Kilgallen. Early Arkancide? Massacide?

[ClearCase_guy]

Recent thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3519353/posts

There is a new book out about her mysterious death. IIRC, her body was found in a bed she never used, holding a book she had finished reading weeks before. From the beginning people said it was fishy, but it all got hushed up.

[Daffynition]

Read it and weep. :)

[Daffynition]

Meh. Usins, I guess.

I want my senior discount! :)

[Daffynition]

From left: Dorothy Kilgallen, Bennett Cerf, Arlene Francis and Hal Block with John Daly as the host.

But that *Hal Block* looks like a Jack Parr to me.:)

No Python yet? Come on people!

[fella]

Loved that show.

I put it right up there with “Dirty Jobs”.

[Daffynition]

[Daffynition]

You win! A bowl of....

[pax_et_bonum]

[Daffynition]