[Chickensoup]

Honey everything is a protected species.

Lecture last fall by our local wildlife gestapo told us that the children could no longer pick up blue jay feathers becsue they are classified as a songbird, which is protected.

Just a da** bird.

[PeterFinn]

They can't pick up feathers??? What utter bullchit. I have no problem with hawks and falcons being protected from idiots like this golfer and yahoos using them for target practice (this last one I have seen all too often around Sacramento). I will allow that predation permits need to be allowed for farmers to protect free range chickens and etc. but for the most part, yes, the critters need to be protected. Other than a farmer dealing with a particular individual bird, no one has a valid reason to kill a raptor or, for that matter, a blue jay - because they taste awful. :-P