Eagles soar 2500 feet above the earth, and they lose feathers frequently. There has never been a need to kill an eagle to garner a feather.
That line sounds kike a cousin to global warming.
When I lived in WNY I lived near the Onondaga Indian reservation. I recall Speaking to the Department of Environmental Conservation officer near that area and he told me that about 50 years ago Eagles and other raptors were in Danger of becoming extinct due to poaching for the feathers. He also said that only certain preapproved rehab places were used for injured birds.
The Native Americans came around and collected the feathers. Ones that were in good shape were used in ceremonial head gear and damaged ones were burnt.
This DEC agent had no reason to lie to me about it.
Poaching an eagle is nearly impossible.
I seriously doubt any government environmentalist’s word that any measurable poaching of eagles has been done.
Eagles get seriously injured when diving for a kill, as do hawks. They get their wings broken, and cannot fly. There are one winged bald eagles that have been “rescued” at numerous zoos around the country. I’ve never heard anyone at the zoo claim that the eagles were deliberately injured, its just too common to make such a claim.
>> “This DEC agent had no reason to lie to me about it.” <<
Yes he did, his job was created by asserting a problem that doesn’t exist.
Not many people poached eagles for feathers in the midwest, and they became very rare there too fifty or so years ago. We were always told it was due to DDT. Plenty of them around now.