I wonder if that would work if I just invented a rare bird. I could use feathers from several different species. There are only 27 of them in existence. Now there's 26.
Great idea!
After all, you are dealing with the type of people who run on emotions.
They're SO convinced that critters = people, they'd probably hurt themselves trying to get away from the *scene of the crime*, and NOT knowing about a particularly rare bird wouldn't even make them pause.
So I guess it would come down to how good you are at acting!
Seriously, what are they gonna do? Get mad? Cry?
Tell them your only other choice if they refuse to behave is for you to completely block their access to your property.
If nothing else, maybe it would work for its *shock value*!