#no one get on me about the Migratory Bird Treaty Act

[belle--ofthebrawl]

Working at a new place that old friends work at is great because a new co worker will turn to you out of nowhere and go "so is that dead bird in your car or in the dumpster." After you take care of the previously mentioned dead bird.

[thegreenwolf]

Howdy! I stumbled across a broken link to your WordPress blog where you mentioned your views on people who believe their religious/spiritual practices exempt them from wildlife laws. I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts, since this is a topic I have a hard time getting through to others about. If you don't have the time (or don't want to), don't sweat it! Have a wonderful day ^-^

@raspberrysquid Well, it's something I've primarily run into in the Pagan/etc. arena. These religions, as a general rule, are recently created, though they may seek to emulate older polytheisms to varying degrees. (There are also polytheist reconstructionists who do not consider themselves under the modern Pagan umbrella for varying reasons, FTR, but that's a whole other discussion I'm not going to get into here. The Venn diagram is complex, and not everyone fits under the Big Tent, so to speak.)

The attitude I seem to run into repeatedly is the idea that Neopagan religions should be on an equal par with indigenous American religions with regards to access to restricted items such as eagle or other migratory bird feathers. For example, Lady Suzy Bunnysnuggles picks up a red-tailed hawk feather that a bird molted, and decides that this must be a sign from [insert deity or other higher power here] that she must incorporate that animal's energy into her spiritual practice somehow, and so she takes it home.

Now, there is absolutely nothing wrong with interpreting an encounter with an animal (or its shed bits) as being personally, spiritually profound. However, if Lady Suzy Bunnysnuggles is--like many of us Pagan folk--an American citizen of varying European origins or otherwise not in a federally enrolled* Native American tribe, she is breaking the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) which prohibits the possession of almost all native wild bird parts, other than a few exceptions like turkeys. This law is in place because in the latter 19th and early 20th centuries bird populations in North America were being absolutely demolished for both restaurant tables and the feather trade. Since you can't really tell the difference between a feather that was naturally molted, and one that was torn off of a poached bird, the law has a blanket prohibition on possession regardless of origin.

There are some exceptions to the MBTA, and to the Bald and Golden Eagle Act, for federally enrolled people to have access to otherwise prohibited parts for religious or cultural use. However, people like Lady Suzy Bunnysnuggles, when informed of the laws, huff in indignation that they, too, should have religious exemptions, and that they are not, in fact, going to put that feather back where they found it. In fact, they may very well hang it from their rearview mirror or on a ritual staff, in blatant violation of the MBTA, and with the assumption that they will not run across a USFW law enforcement agent or other authority who is familiar with the laws. If pressed, they may claim "Oh, it's a TURKEY feather**!", but they're banking on the idea that no one is actually going to recognize what they have.

My thought on it, as a longtime Pagan of various European descent, is that it's my people who basically screwed up everything for everyone else by coming over here and overhunting species and systematically destroying their habitats. I've been working with hides, bones, and other remains in my practice for over a quarter of a century, and I am totally fine with staying within the confines of various laws. I have plenty of things I can legally work with, AND I am creative and flexible enough to come up with legal alternatives to prohibited items. My traditions are my own, and they don't pre-date me. Indigenous people, on the other hand, have been dealing with over 500 years of physical and cultural genocide, and the previous ban on their possession of eagle feathers and the like is just one more manifestation thereof; reversing that ban and making allowances for feathers/etc. for their spiritual and cultural practices is a TINY piece of trying to undo centuries of damage.

I am not going to try to argue that the erasure of European polytheistic traditions by Christianity many centuries ago affects me in the same way that the ongoing oppression of indigenous Americans affects them. They're not even comparable. Any problems I may have experienced as a relatively out Pagan in the United States are nowhere near in comparison to the immensity of 500+ years of active racism and other violence enacted upon Native American communities by both individuals and governmental entities.

Moreover, if we open exceptions to Neopagans and other followers of modern nature spirituality, then anyone can step up and say "Oh, hey, I'm a Wiccan/Druid/etc., can I have some eagle feathers?" that would then open up a greater demand for otherwise prohibited animal remains, and feed into a still-substantial black market. Therefore, I think it's best if I and Lady Suzy Bunnysnuggles simply find alternative ways to work with the archetypal spirit of Red-Tailed Hawk, rather than argue that our supposed religious oppression is somehow on par of that of indigenous Americans, and use their plight to try to weasel our way out of following a law that is in place to protect wildlife after other white people have demonstrated time and again that they couldn't be trusted to hunt wildlife at a sustainable level. Is it a case of some bad actors ruining things for everyone else? I mean, sure, maybe. But it's one of those things that I've long since made my peace with.

*This is with the understanding that there are also significant problems with federal recognition of some tribes, but not others, and the immense amount of bureaucratic bullshit a group of indigenous people have to wade through just to prove their legitimacy to the BIA.

**I once pointed out to a fellow vendor at an event that some of the feathers on their wares were, in fact, from various species of owl, because the last thing I want is for someone who is simply ignorant of the law to get in trouble, and generally speaking people are pretty cool about removing the illegal bits of their work and grateful that they met me before they met someone who could actually issue a ticket and/or cause trouble for the event runners. This person instead insisted repeatedly, both to me and to event staff, that they were turkey feathers, in such a manner that it was clear they knew what they were but was assuming we all played the "wink wink, nudge nudge, yeah, those sure are TURKEY feathers!" game. Needless to say, they had to take down anything made with owl feathers in order to stay in the vendors' row.

[starfish-ix]

Great Blue Heron - Reviewed

Last semester, I took a class called Anthropos in the Anthropocene. It was really insightful, and i leaned a ton. heres an exerpt of the course description:

This course explores this writing and related work on the ways that humans interact with their environment. Its goals are to inform students about Anthropocene environmental conditions and debates surrounding the term; to trouble commonplace notions of what it means to be human; to show students how human-environment relations can vary historically and cross-culturally; and to encourage students to think critically about strategies for environmental conservation.

Our final project was to create a "blog post", and I chose to model mine after the format of my favorite book/podcast- The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green

SOOO here i am sharing it :) it is an ~10 min listen !! let me know if you listen/what u think <3

YouTube link to audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvgjDi41BnQ

Transcript:

Hello, and welcome to my own spin on the Anthropocene Reviewed, a podcast by John Green where he reviews facets of the human-centered planet on a five-star scale. My name’s Ixchel Quinn Cruz, and here in this episode I will be putting my own spin on the format, and reviewing the Great Blue Heron.

When I began this semester at Smith College, my professor, Colin Hoag, assigned us a semester-long project involving observing an organism in our environment. While at first my head was filled with ideas, as I went about my life the next few days, I could not get the idea of choosing this organism out of my head. I walked up the hill by Paradise Pond every afternoon as the sun was setting, and I always saw it : A tall, gray-ish blue heron standing tall in the evening light on the pond. Something about it drew me in. I could not help but stop and admire it, reveling in the beauty of this graceful bird in the pond, lit by the setting sun. I decided that I would wake up at 6am to go visit the heron whenever I could, over a few weeks. It was on these mornings that I developed such an intense affection for this heron.

Herons exist all around the world. They come in many shapes and colors and sizes, and there is a species of heron that exists on every continent in the world except Antarctica. The Great Blue Heron is one of the biggest and most well known species of heron in the world. I consider them incredible and stunning birds, with their grayish blue plumage and an impressive wingspan that would make anyone stop and look in the afternoon light. Seeing a heron on a pond is always quite a moving sight, and I am not alone in these beliefs.

In her inaugural speech to the college, the new president, Sarah Willie LeBreton mentioned the very heron I observed. She said on her first morning here, she woke up to the sight of a Great Blue Heron on Paradise Pond, and that its beauty stunned her and reminded her to be mindful of many things, namely the land that we inhabit and its ancestral ties to the native cultures that see herons symbolizing many things: including individual strength, patience, meditation, and stillness. The respect and admiration for the heron could almost be felt in the room that day. It was clear that so many of the people in attendance knew exactly of the heron she spoke of. It was such a powerful statement based on something seemingly so simple. Just a bird on the pond. 

The canada goose is another water-dwelling bird of North America that frequents Paradise Pond, and its story mirrors the Great Blue Heron’s surprisingly well. They are both large birds hunted for game by European settlers that had astonishing comebacks after the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which protected Great Blue Herons along with any other migratory birds under the law, was passed. They inhabit the same spaces and can often be seen together in marshes and ponds. However, our perception of the two is often very different. I think a common sentiment around the Canada Goose is resentment. Geese honk and strut and bite and are loud when flying in large groups. They are very defensive of their nests and they protect ferociously against their biggest predator, Humans. We often see them as a pest, taking up all the space in our waterways when, in fact, the ways we have structured our human worlds in the anthropocene often create the perfect place for them to inhabit. On the other hand, the seemingly solitary, quiet, graceful heron is praised and admired. We build sculptures of it (note the small pond by lyman next time you walk by), paint it, and talk about it with an air of reverence for such a beautiful creature. 

An individual heron will nest communally in a large group, usually with dozens of nests (and sometimes hundreds of herons) placed high up in trees. These groups of nests, called rookeries, are loud, smelly, and herons are known to defend them when threatened. Herons tend to be quiet when we see them, but they can be loud, with a call that I have often heard compared to what people imagined a pterodactyl sounding like. I find it entertaining to think of the solitary heron on the pond that everyone seems to admire so much going home to its rookery, located most likely in the nearby Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary, interacting with hundreds of others, calling to each other with their dinosaur-like noises. 

What is it about our cultural understandings of these species that create these contrasting views of the two species? How do we place these two species in our own view of the world, in relation to our own human centered view of the world? In discussions with my peers about the heron, I often noticed a tendency to assign it a personal, english gendered pronoun like “him” to the heron. 

 “Oh that heron!! He is so…..”

This was one of many things I noticed that they did to humanize the heron, granting him personhood in a way, and talking about him less in the expected way most people would think to talk about birds.. One remarked on the fact that “he” is at once so beautiful and graceful, while also being “a little silly”. But, I can’t help but agree with them. The way it sits with its neck scrunched up in an S shape does look really funny, sort of as if it was hunching its shoulders up by its head. 

This is one way we personify the heron, placing it within the context of our human-centered view of the world, in an attempt, I think, to connect to it. By giving it personhood, we in a way are granting it value and agency, as if their relation or proximity to personhood is what determines the importance of something’s existence. Above this, when we personify, we cannot avoid placing it within some sort of human context that inherently has meaning to us specifically? One friend described the heron as coming off as “kind of lanky and awkward” giving the impression that it might be shy, or too anxious to be social creatures. When we personify the heron like this, we inherently place it in a space where we can apply our pre-existing ideas on certain groups of a species. Since Aristotle’s first sketches of the evolutionary tree, humans have felt affection towards animals similar to us, but I noticed here that this works in the opposite direction as well – we as humans find ourselves relating to this heron as a result of our affection for it.

The heron isn’t alone on Paradise pond. Although the Great Blue Heron is one of the most recognizable and charismatic species on the pond,  they are just as ecologically important as non-charismatic species. Birds, like mallards, mergansers, and canada geese share the waters they use for food, and other species, like toads, turtles, and muskrats, similarly share the marshlands as a home. All these creatures rely on the wetland and each other to live, and this balance can easily be thrown off. 

When European settlers arrived in New England, they enjoyed hunting Great Blue Herons for game as well as for their beautiful plumage. This took a significant toll on their population numbers. European settlers also hunted the Beaver in extreme amounts in Massachusetts, which is important because their tendency to build dams on rivers and flood areas is a meaningful function to the ecosystems of wetlands. When the fur trade was at its height, Beavers were hunted and trapped until they nearly disappeared, making a significant and damaging impact to the whole landscape of New England. This obviously took a significant toll on herons as well, with many of the marshes and wetlands they rely on fading away, leaving them with no place to hunt, and no source of food. So they left. 

These factors combined meant that by the 1870s, herons were not believed to nest in Massachusetts anymore. They were occasionally seen as migrants, but no nesting sites were known, and they were a pretty rare bird to find. The aforementioned Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), makes it illegal to “pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, attempt to take, capture or kill, possess, or [use for commercial purposes]” any migratory bird in the U.S (Transect), making it illegal to capture, possess, or cause harm to a Great Blue Heron or its nest or eggs. This made it safe  for herons to return and repopulate. However, the return was slow. There was one rookery recorded in 1925 that survived until it was destroyed by the hurricane of 1938, but no other colonies were documented until 30 years later, in the 1960s.

It took the reintroduction of beavers for this change to become meaningful. As beavers repopulated,  they brought back many marshy areas with lots of dead plant matter, the perfect environment for herons to feed. The return of beavers to Massachusetts, as well as more stringent protection of both the herons themselves and the wetlands they depend on, resulted in an increasing return of the heron. Currently they are considered a low concern species on endangerment metrics, considered an unequivocally increasing species in Massachusetts. Their repopulation was joined closely with many other species of marsh-dwellers – including the canada goose. 

Deborah Bird Rose’s concept of multispecies knots imagines the encounters we have with each other in the world across species as one piece of a larger story in the history of our species’ coexistence. The idea of an individual in a species existing not only as itself, but as a link in the chain of the species history, with endless history stretching back into the past and into the future, as well as entwined with our own species history. That first visit to the pond back in September, when I sat at 6 am observing Paradise’s heron, feels different when I think about it contextualized as one encounter that has been shaped by the infinite history that we share. When I consider the trust that heron must have had in me to let me sit that near, when its ancestors were hunted by mine. When you think of the fact that I was drawn to be out there, admiring the beauty in its routine, almost inspired by its existence when it was just going about its daily life. It was a completely unique interaction that has never happened before exactly like that and will never happen again, just one thread that weaves the story of our collective existence. Just two creatures in the world, passing by each other. Noticing each other I sometimes find it hard to conceive every single interaction I have with anything ever can be seen as just one link in the chain of the world. One thread in the tapestry of our shared existence, that all together form a larger story that none of us will ever be able to see. Not even the heron.

Yet, the heron on paradise pond continues to go about its life. And I walk up, away from my pond, back to my homework, back to dinner with my friends. Just more threads forming the tapestry. I find it only fair to give the Great Blue Heron five stars.

★★★★★

Works Cited

ABC Birds. “Great Blue Heron.” 22 September 2021, https://abcbirds.org/bird/great-blue-heron/?psafe_param=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgK2qBhCHARIsAGACuzkBLa83htftDmVxYU8En8DwNvK97dtGckGC1_o2qUMylqN2F9XaojAaAk04EALw_wcB. Accessed 10 November 2023.

Dankosky, John, and Lily Tyson. “The History of Beavers in New England With Ben Goldfarb.” New England News Collaborative, 2 August 2018, https://nenc.news/ben-goldfarb-the-history-beavers-new-england/. Accessed 10 November 2023.

Green, John. Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet. Perfection Learning Corporation, 2023.

Haraway, Donna Jeanne. 2003. The Companion Species Manifesto: Dogs, People, and Significant Otherness. Chicago: Prickly Paradigm Press. Pp. 1-47

Hejnol, Andreas. 2016. “Ladders, Trees, Complexity, and Other Metaphors in Evolutionary Thinking.” In: Arts of Living on a Damaged Planet: Stories from the Anthropocene. Tsing, Anna Lowenhaupt, Nils Bubandt, Elaine Gan, and Heather Anne Swanson, eds. Pp. G87-102. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press.

IUCN. “Great Blue Heron.” 2 October 2022, https://www.iucnredlist.org/fr/species/181500967/181565357. Accessed 10 November 2023.

Massachusetts Audubon. “Find a Bird.” Find a Bird, https://www.massaudubon.org/our-work/birds-wildlife/bird-conservation-research/breeding-bird-atlases/find-a-bird?id=948. Accessed 10 November 2023.

Massachusetts Audubon. “Great Blue Herons.” Mass Audubon, https://www.massaudubon.org/nature-wildlife/birds/great-blue-herons. Accessed 10 November 2023.

Native Languages. “Native American Indian Heron Legends, Meaning and Symbolism from the Myths of Many Tribes.” Native-Languages.org, http://www.native-languages.org/legends-heron.htm. Accessed 10 November 2023.

Rose, Deborah Bird. 2012. “Multispecies Knots of Ethical Time.” Environmental Philosophy 9(1):127–140.

Transect. “The Bald Eagle & Migratory Bird Treaty Acts (2023).” Transect, https://www.transect.com/bald-eagle-migratory-birds-act. Accessed 10 November 2023.

US Fish and Wildlife Service. “Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 26 April 2020, https://www.fws.gov/law/migratory-bird-treaty-act-1918. Accessed 10 November 2023.

[anxiously-scared]

Hi im a rando that saw your tags on a post (about the reporting native bird feathers from witch etsy) where I saw you wanted to know more since they're "just picking the feathers up" and unfortunately, you've activated my autism trap card, so get prepared for some lighthearted explanation and commentary :3

So! I dont know if you're in the US, but I'm basing all of this off of US laws since most witch etsy shops are also based here (or the UK, but I don't know as much about those laws). In the US, almost all birds are protected under either the MBTA (Migratory Bird Treaty Act) or the Raptor Act. Both acts are essentially legal protection against bird poaching outside of specific game seasons using certain weapons. Birds that are not protected are 1. Farm fowl you own (such as chickens, ducks, etc), 2. Farm fowl you can prove were Farm fowl (such as ducks and turkeys specifically), and 3. Invasive birds (such as European starlings, sparrows, and more). Basically every other bird in the states is considered either migratory, or a raptor, and is therefore federally protected from any type of poaching

The reason these protections were implemented was a lot to do with 1800s bird hunting, which got just... so completely out of whack. Do yourself a favor and look up "punt guns", as they're massive cannon-sized boat mounted shotguns that could take out an entire flock of ducks in one shot, and enable hunters to spend the entire rest of their day bagging up to around 200 ducks from, again, just *one* shot. Due to this, ducks, turkeys, quail, pheasants, and other bird game absolutely plummeted to near extinction, even including regular "pest" birds like crows struggled through poaching eras. This is also a huge part of why dodos went extinct.

These acts don't just protect these birds from regular poaching though, because that would be too simple (and most bird poachers don't think they're doing anything wrong or anything that matters, so they don't care about just lying) you see, the #1 excuse game wardens get when they ask about illegal killing is "I found it like that", which when you're talking about, say, finding someone with owl talons or eagle feathers, is probably the biggest attempt at a "get out of jail free" card possible. Sure it's plausible, but there's always too big of a risk that the person is lying and is potentially poaching a species that only has less than 50 in the wild left just for some cool bird talons (like condors, bald eagles, some types of owls, etc). To resolve that issue, these acts have it down as a felony *per piece of bird*. As in, per individual Feather, per Talon, per Beak, etc. Picking a bird feather off the ground in the US can absolutely be a felony if you don't know what kind of bird it is, and you have decades and decades of shitty entitled bird poachers, even to this day, to blame for restrictions being as high as they are.

So if you find some etsy witch who isn't native selling non invasive wild bird feathers in the US, you can 100% report them to fish and wildlife and land them with multiple felonies for raptor and migratory bird poaching. If you also want more info on why the post specifies "white witch", feel free to check out resources about Native American tribes and their privileges for hunting and using native birds such as eagles for cultural reasons. Certain native american tribes have specific permits for hunting birds because of the cultural+community benefits as well as their way of using the full bird without *just* taking a stupid claw trophy and throwing away the rest of the bird

In short, it's actually not even cruel to report them, and in fact it's the morally correct thing to do, because only native americans from certain communities have the right to do so (speaking of, it's also fun to report white etsy shops that sell "native jewelry", because that's also a crime, just make sure they're actually not native before you do that)

a big thank you to all of you for telling me this!!! im very sorry if you sent this at an earlier time and i didnt respond, i only use tumblr on mobile and whether it shows me that i got an ask is literally luck based for me

anyways these were all very great answers, i def understand the post this was abt now!!

and to the first one dw abt rambling, i may not be stationed in the us but it was still interesting to hear (you can absolutely send me more asks abt it if you want to ramble more)

thank all of you once again!!

[irradiatedsnakes]

hey this might be a dumb question but you seem to know about this sort of thing… The other day I was walking and I noticed a dead crow that looked to be in good condition, it was just dead. Part of me wanted to take it and see if I could like boil it or something to get its bones, because bones are so cool. I didn’t, I just left it there, but for in the future if I find another… how difficult is that to do? Like would it be reasonably attainable for someone with no experience to do some research and obtain a bird skull

so, a few things:

if you're in the us, canada, or mexico, crow (and basically all migratory bird) remains are illegal to own (barring when legally hunted- crows have a limited hunting season in some states). i can't tell you what to do, obviously, but be aware of the migratory bird treaty act and its consequences. birds like pigeons, starlings, and house sparrows are legal, though, since they're non-native. same goes for domestics like chickens or budgies.

secondly, boiling is a very bad way to clean bones- it gets you greasy, fragile bones that won't last. the two best ways to clean bones ime are dermestid beetles- which require maintaining a colony- and maceration, which is rotting in water. i use maceration for all my skeletonizing. i don't have a guide on hand, but it shouldn't be too hard to find one.

the short version is put your specimen (skin it first if you can, makes it faster & rids you of having to deal with a bunch of fur/feathers/etc) in a lidded container outside, and have the container full of water. leave it out for however long it takes to rot the flesh off- depends on specimen size and outside temps, faster when it's warmer. check in on it and replace the water every now and then, if you like. when it's all de-fleshed, take your pile o' bones and rinse em off, and put them in a clean container with some 3% hydrogen peroxide, for maybe a week. this removes any tiny remaining fleshy bits and whitens them. extra steps may be needed if the bones are particularly greasy.

main problem with maceration is you need some good outdoor space, because it really stinks. really bad. do not do this inside.

[thealexchen]

Honestly I think it’s really impressive that this was Erika’s first VA job. She did an amazing job and put a lot of emotion into her dialogue. Especially during the nightmare scene where Alex’s dad walks out. I legitimately got chills from her acting. Also holy crap True Colors introduced you to mxmtoon??? I’ve been listening to her for years and once I heard she was Alex’s singing voice I was immediately hooked on the game. Like I love the series but that just sealed the deal

YEAH OH MY GOD. Thank you for bringing this up because I haven’t even talked about Erika Mori’s performance in detail, but it was all I could think about after finishing the game and she did an absolutely incredible job. Like, incredible is a major understatement. I can’t praise her performance enough.

It just blows my mind that she was a COMPLETE newcomer! She wasn’t even a professional actor when she started and was just taking an adult acting class for fun when the casting director found her, and True Colors made it look like she’d been acting her whole life. They cast a total unknown, a complete newbie to the industry, and she killed it. Just give her her BAFTA already!

In LiS2 there are two moments I can’t listen to again: When Sean screams “FUCK!” after the desert encounter in “Faith” and when Daniel screams “WHY?!” in the Lone Wolf ending.

By comparison, in True Colors, every moment that I can’t listen to again (literally to the point where I will mute the sound if I’m rematching a scene) are Alex’s lines:

When Alex screams for Gabe after Ryan cuts the rope. Erika manages to convey so much desperation and despair: she’s both begging Ryan not to let Gabe go and also realizing that he’s likely already dead, and that she lost someone again.

When Alex cries at her mother’s bedside. There’s a lot of buildup and it looks so realistic. You can see Alex fighting back tears and struggling to speak and even breathe, so she can only nod and look at her dying mother. She wipes her nose with the back of her hand like a little kid and nods fervently, already so determined to keep her promise. And when she finally breaks, her sobs just sound so real. This is her truly grieving for the first time, and the way she clutches the pendant to her chest and curls in on herself is so heartbreaking. She just looks so scared and alone. Erika’s body language conveys just as much as her vocal delivery.

When Alex screams “DAD!” and throws the pendant. Again, the rawness and desperation in her voice and how high it got was so well done. And in the moments before, when Alex is whimpering and stammering “N-no, no, Dad…” and she can barely get the words out, that just sounded like a real, scared little girl.

When Alex simply screams at the foster home and breaks an entire row of windows. It’s full of white-hot, blistering rage and you can absolutely hear the years of pain and hurt behind that scream. Alex is unleashing all the frustration of not feeling wanted, of feeling off and wrong and broken, and it hurts, especially when she falls to her knees afterward and sobs while surrounded by broken glass.

Three out of these four are just in the nightmare sequence. It’s just hugely dramatic moments that hit you one after the other and that’s why it stuck with me so much. Not even the happy ending could fill that numb, empty feeling I had after finishing the game, because I couldn’t stop thinking about the nightmare, but that just shows how powerful Erika’s performance was.

But it’s not just the most dramatic moments. I loved that Erika was able to be so expressive as Alex, in face, voice, and body. Erika really runs the full emotional gamut and everything is so pure in their expression of joy, sadness, fear, rage, love, and everything else. Little things like the way she goes “WHOOO!!!” and does the victory dance when she wins the foosball game, her snort-laugh when Ryan says “Technically, they’re protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act,” everything about the entire USB plan scene (her damn facial expressions had me rolling), the shakiness in her voice when she convinces Ethan the monster can’t see him, and so many more. When Alex has her anxiety attack in the mine after the lamp goes out, the scene is completely dark and it relies entirely on Erika’s performance to convey that terror. Her performance somehow both feels effortless in how consistently amazing she was in every scene and so raw in how taxing it must’ve been to perform all those scenes. She was just amazing. Ah!

Also yes, I really had no idea who mxmtoon was before this game. Probably because I never use Tiktok… everyone I talked to who knew her music said they did because of “Prom Dress.” But I adore her music and I admire even more than she’s a young woman of color carving her own path in the music industry. She’s so open and proud of her Chinese heritage (from the music video for “Unspoken Words” to her wearing a qipao in “Bon Iver”) and bisexuality and it’s brought me a lot of joy and comfort and visibility, but she seems so nice and down-to-earth too!

[carnegiemuseumnaturalhistory]

Super Science: She-Ra, the American Kestrel

Hi, my name is She-Ra and I’m an American kestrel. A scientist might call me Falco sparverius because that’s my species’ scientific name, but my friends just call me She-Ra or sometimes RaRa as a nickname! I may look small, but I am not—I am big, I am brave, and I am important.

I’m a beautiful bird!

Kestrels like me are a part of the falcon family and are closely related to bigger birds like peregrine falcons. All the other falcons are bigger than us, because we are the smallest member of the falcon family in North America, where we are also the most populous and widely distributed falcon species. This means that there are a lot of birds like me living in the wild!

Falcons like me are raptors, or birds of prey, which means that we are meat eating birds. Wild kestrels will eat all sorts of insects, small rodents, lizards, and even smaller birds! We like to grab our prey with the sharp talons on our feet. Just like humans, some of us like to eat certain type of prey over others. My favorites are mice and bugs!

Look at my powerful talons!

I live at Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but I used to live in the wild. But I can’t live in the wild anymore: four years ago, I was hit by a car and broke my wrist, which is in the top-central part of my wing. I was taken in by the nice humans at the West Virginia Raptor Rehabilitation Center after my accident, who nursed me back to health. But even after I got better, they realized that I was never going to be able to fly well enough again to survive in the wild—even though kestrels are fierce, we’re also tiny, and sometimes bigger birds of prey try to pick on us. If I returned to the wild, I wouldn’t be able to fly away from a bigger bird! I also wouldn’t be able hover in midair, which is something really cool that kestrels can do.

These are photos of me on my first day at the rehab center. It was scary, but I’m happy the humans took care of me there!

Because I couldn’t return to the wild, I needed somewhere to live, so I came to the museum, where my coworker humans take good care of me. Yes, I have coworkers because I am a bird with a job! I am an educational ambassador animal, which means I help my coworkers teach people about kestrels by appearing in Live Animal Encounters.

Here I am, doing a Live Animal Encounter with my coworker, Jo Tauber.

Coming to live at the museum took a lot of special planning, care and attention. I am protected by something called the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, as are all kestrels and over 1,000 other migratory bird species in North America. The museum needed to get special permits, which gave them permission to have me live here. There are even special permits for my coworkers, which grants them the great privilege of working with me!

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 is important because it keeps birds safe. It prohibits people from killing or injuring birds or removing them from the wild. There are special cases like mine, where a bird needs to live somewhere they can be cared for by humans, but they are an exception. Something you may be surprised to hear is that the Treaty Act also protects eggs and nests, and even things like feathers! That’s right—even taking a feather from a protected migratory bird out of the wild is prohibited!

These are kestrel eggs. Please leave them alone if you see them!

Even though kestrels are the most populous and widely spread falcon species, wild populations seem to be decreasing. No one is quite sure why there are fewer kestrels in the wild, but some possible reasons include human interference with our habitats, the use of pesticides, bigger birds preying on us more often, and road collisions (like what happened to me).

There are things you can do to help keep my wild relatives safe. One big thing is please don’t litter, especially on roads. Litter attracts delicious bugs and mice and kestrels might try to hunt them and get hit by a car. Another thing you can do is respect our space; if you see us in the wild, just leave us alone. If we seem to be sick or injured, please call the local game commission or a wildlife rehabilitation center, they have people that are trained to take care of us, much like my coworkers are trained to care for me.

If you really feel like you want to do something more to help kestrels, look into building a nest box, which will give my wild relatives somewhere safe to lay their eggs and raise their babies. If you build a nest box, you can even monitor whether any kestrels come to use it and report that information. That will help scientists learn where kestrels are living and keep track of how many of us are in the wild!

This is an example of a nest box.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story! I hope you enjoyed learning about me and my relatives. Please check out the videos linked below. I am the star and they can teach you even more information about me!

Enrichment Time for She-Ra

Weighing She-Ra

To report injured kestrels, or other wildlife:

PA Game Commission Southwest Region: 724-238-9523

Humane Animal Rescue: 412-345-7300

Jo Tauber is the Gallery Experience Coordinator in CMNH’s Life Long Learning Department. Museum staff, volunteers, and interns are encouraged to blog about their unique experiences and knowledge gained from working at the museum.

[hoothootmotherf-ckers]

how to make friends and violate the migratory bird treaty act of 1918

“Look, kid-“

“I am over seven hundred years old, I am not a kid!” Kravitz sputters. The man in front of him just sighs and rubs his face.

“Fuck, man, you a Sylph then?” Duck asks, immediately more tired than he should be. It’s only Tuesday.

Seeming baffled, the oddly goth dude with a goddamn scythe asks, “What- what the fuck is a Sylph?” He has a terrible, obviously fake British accent now and yeah, that dude’s not from around here.

“Look, you don’t have to lie to me,” Duck says. “You’re some kind of magic, you’re definitely not a local, so there’s a few options from here on out.”

“Look, I’m just here for my job,” Kravitz pleads, unsure how a simple mission has ended up in this situation. “I just enforce the laws of-“

“Oh, that’s rich, coming from you,” Duck scoffs. “You’re not one to talk about enforcing laws.”

“Excuse me?” Kravitz squawks, angry. “I have been enforcing her Majesty’s laws for centuries longer than you have been alive, what gives you the power to prevent the passage of justice-“

“Okay, look,” Duck says, sighing. “First off, I don’t know who the fuck your queen is, but this is a democracy, constitutional republic and shit, so this is so not your jurisdiction. And second, as I’m a federal fucking officer, this is mine. And you’re breaking like, six different laws, like first off, that scythe-“

“Okay, wait one second,” Kravitz says, brandishing said scythe and letting his face flash skeletal. Duck doesn’t react. “You have a sword!”

”And I would very much like to acquaint myself,” Beacon purrs, “Because if Duck Newton would let me, I could end this altercation very quickly.”

“Yep, nope, not doing that,” Duck says abruptly. “Anyway, yes, I have a sword, I’m a Ranger, I am allowed, but since you just pulled that scythe out of fucking nowhere I’m counting that as a concealed weapon. If you were a Sylph, I’d hand you over to Mama for this, but as you say you’re not, that’s a federal offense.”

Kravitz watches the rambling with wide eyes. “Who the fuck is Mama?”

Duck snaps his mouth shut. “Yeah, not a Sylph, okay, you don’t get to know that.”

“What the FUCK is a Sylph?” Kravitz almost yells.

“The short version is a magical being from a different plane,” Duck states flatly.

“Oh, well- er, I am that,” Kravitz mutters. “But I think it’s a different different plane.”

“Awesome, great, I’m going to get back to arresting you if you’re not a Sylph,” Duck says brightly. “Second point, where’d you get those feathers? What bird?”

“What, these?” Kravitz says, fluffing up his cape of feathers, the symbol of his authority under the Queen. “They’re fucking ravens, of course they are, why does that-“

“Awesome, great, I’m going to need to see a whole shit ton of permits because that looks like a lot of ravens went into that, and that would be a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918,” Duck says, holding out an arm. “Now, hand it over.”

“What the fuck,” Kravitz says, staring. “I’m not giving you my- why would, I’m not even- oh, fuck this!” he shouts, fake accent slipping. “One vampire is not fucking worth this, the Queen can send the fucking necromancer or something, I am done!”

And with a wave of his scythe, Kravitz rips a swirling black portal in the air and sprints through it, leaving a cloud of raven feathers in his wake.

Duck sighs, crouching down to collect the feathers. As he stands, he unclips his radio.

“Hey, Mama?” he says into it. “How many other planets like Sylvain are there?”

[bufonite]

“I found a dead bird, how do I process it for the bones?”

I’m constantly seeing posts in the Vulture Culture tag lately about people finding dead birds and asking how to process it so they can have the bones, feathers, etc and I just wanted to make a quick post about it. If you’re in Europe you can ignore this, since this information pertains to US vultures only.

Anyways, if you’re a Vulture in the US, unless the bird you found is a pigeon, house sparrow, european starling, chicken, domestic turkey, domestic duck, etc, it’s 100% illegal for you to have.

For US Vultures collecting parts of endangered species can net you fines of up to $10,500, and unless you have special permits (like if you work for a school or educational facility), possessing any parts of birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (especially birds of prey) is a felony and common violations can get you fined up to $5,000 with six months imprisonment. Selling parts can get you fines of up to $250,000 and two years imprisonment.

So yeah, it’s a pretty big deal.

Obviously these fines are for the more severe cases and if the DNR finds out you have a bluejay feather because you thought it was pretty you’re probably just going to get a “hey don’t pick those things up” lecture or a small fine.

Feds monitor Facebook groups and other sites to make sure that no one has anything illegal, so before you post about how Hot New Find™ make sure it’s actually legal for you to have. Google is free and easy to use. The DNR isn’t going to ask for money because you called them and asked them if something’s legal for you to have. They’re not going to get upset with you just because you’re asking them a question.

Accidents happen and that’s totally okay! Before I got into Vulture Culture I had tons of things that I shouldn’t have had, but I learned about the laws and I got rid of them instead of acting like I was somehow above the law and that I could do whatever I wanted.

I’m tired of people making our community look like some sort of shady black market operation and if you refuse to get rid of your illegal items or continue to brag about them chances are someone’s going to report you to the FWS or DNR and you’re gonna be getting a visit from your local wildlife officer.

So if you’re a Vulture in the US and you find a bird, your first question shouldn’t be “Hey, how do I clean these bones?” it should be “Hey, is it even legal for me to keep these parts?”

[is-the-pigeon-ok]

The Doves are in Danger

I really only talk about domestic pigeons and ringneck doves, because those are the species I have in depth, intimate knowledge of.

However, I have worked with Mourning Doves and Eurasian Collared Doves as a wildlife rehab volunteer.

Mourning Doves are part of the Zenaida Genus, which are partially insectivorous and generally require more animal protein in their diet than the Columba or Streptopelia genera.

While duck feed being their sole food source would raise alarm bells for me, these doves can easily leave and eat elsewhere.

The danger posed to them isn't really dietary.

For one thing, it's best for a keeper to do absolutely everything they can to prevent wildlife from eating with (pooping in the feed of!!) their domestic livestock.

That's a really great way to aid the spread of disease!

If a whole mourning dove can get into (and poop all in) that feed, what other animals can that just haven't been caught on camera yet?

Mourning doves in particular are game birds that are legal to attract with feed.

Getting them used to eating at a feeding station where they can see humans is a great way to get them shot and (traditionally) fried.

Like all our native birds, Mourning Doves are protected by the migratory bird treaty act, making it a federal crime to keep unreleaseable individuals in the US without a permit.

The only circumstance under which a human should interact with a live mourning dove is through binoculars or as a volunteer for a reputable wildlife rehab.

[bone-vulture-lu]

So I recently stumbled upon “vulture culture” and I’m extremely interested. Do you have any tips for newbies or some info on how to get started? I know very little about this, so any info at all would be amazing. Thank you!

Hey, it’s cool that you’re taking interest! I’m kinda new to this as well (I think it’s almost been a year since I started?) but I still feel like I’ve got some good advice I can pass on, as I’ve learned a lot. :)

-The one thing I’ll always say is always keep your eyes open and be prepared! You never know when you might stumble upon bones/roadkill, so have gloves and bags and whatever tools you might think you need on hand. I don’t have a set “roadkill kit” prepared but if I’m going out to get a specific thing I saw I might grab a shovel, bucket/bag, gloves and maybe some kind of sharp tool.

-Keep your workspace, tools and yourself clean, especially if you’re working on stuff indoors. You might get ants, and trust me�� you don’t want ants.

-The most important thing: know your laws!! Each state/country has different rules on picking up roadkill and what animal remains you can collect, so do your research! If you live in the US, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act prohibits you from being able to own most bird remains, so make sure what you pick up is legal!

That’s what I’ve got for now. Good luck, I hope you find some good stuff!

[thedesertmother]

Hi! I'm new to vulture culture and I was wondering if you have any tips on how to get started??

Hello fellow scavenger, and welcome to the vulture community! It took me a while to really get into the swing of things and I’m still learning myself, so I hope my advice is helpful! 

-First thing first: know your local laws! When I was a baby vulture, I nearly got into a lot of trouble because I wasn’t familiar with my local laws. I live in California, so picking up roadkill is illegal and that limits where I can collect from. Also, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Marine Protection Act are things that all US citizens need to abide by. Familiarize yourself with where you can source your collection from and what is legal to even own.

-Because my main interest is in animal bones, I was recommended a wonderful book called Animal Skulls: A Guide to North American Species by Mark Elbroch. This book has been an amazing resource, not only for identifying species but also how properly clean/care for skulls. Included are techniques like maceration, why you should never bleach your bones, and where to find them. It is on the pricier side, but it’s my unofficial vulture textbook.

-If there are areas that you know animals tend to be seen, that’s where to start exploring! I live in the desert, and it’s sometimes difficult to find deads. However, my area has a lot of coyote dens near public golf courses and parks (easy sources of food), so that’s part of where I go exploring. If you live near a wooded area, a water source, a busy road (if roadkill is legal to collect in your area), or an area where people like to feed wild animals, those are great places to start. And ALWAYS BUDDY UP! Not only for safety reasons, but two people can carry more than one person can! If you’re exploring around a wooded area, wear clothing that makes you visible! 

-Always carry collection kits on you! I have a mini one in my school bag (gloves, jars, small bags) and a big one in my car (large bags, mini cooler for storage to not ruin my trunk, more gloves, masks, etc.) One day I didn’t have my kit on me and found the most BEAUTIFUL mummified frog that was so perfectly in tact. I vowed to come back the next day and jar it, BUT IT WAS GONE!! I’m still devastated.

-Never be afraid to ask about deads! I’m a biology major at my college, and some of the departments do dissections, animal surgeries, and things of that sort. I asked one of my professors what happens to some of the specimen after they’re finished, and he said that they just throw them out. So I asked if I could keep one with the intentions of articulating the skeleton, and he allowed me to. Some universities don’t allow you to take them, but don’t be afraid to ask, because the worst that can happen is that they’ll just tell you no. 

-If processing deads isn’t plausible for you right now (I live in a suburban neighborhood, so macerating or sticking things in a rot pot isn’t doable with my neighbors due to the smell), then check out some of the cool shops on Etsy for new collection pieces! In fact, check them out anyway! I know that some users on here have some great shops (bonelust, cummy--eyelids, zooophagous, just to name some off of the top of my head). My collection started out simply by buying skulls from shops. Don’t feel like you need to go out into the wilderness and process your own for your collection to be legitimate.

-Make friends with everyone! I have friends who are hunters and bring me things, friends that are fellow vultures who love to gift and trade, friends that vulture culture isn’t their thing, but think of me every time they see a neat bone or something that they think will fit into my collection. If you feel comfortable enough to share with people anything about your hobby, then talk with them about it. 

Sorry, I got a little carried away! I just wanted to be sure that my answers were as thorough/helpful as possible! I’ll tag some other vultures who are (most likely) more experienced than me to help out too! 

@vulture-kitty @clowderofcloudies @zooophagous Any other tips?

[xtruss]

Blue Jay!

Whooping Crane L8-11 (left) and mate L7-11 on nest with newly hatched LW1-17 in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, April 2017.

A Whooping Crane's Killer Got Off Easy, Frustrating Conservationists! The Louisiana man will face no jail time and no fine after shooting one of the most endangered birds in the world. What a shame?

Last month, a Louisiana man was sentenced in a federal district court to 120 hours of community service and two years on probation for shooting and killing a Whooping Crane, one of the most endangered birds in the world. The decision was far lighter than conservationists had hoped and advocated for.

According to court documents and those familiar with the case, 53-year-old Gilvin Aucoin shot the crane with a .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle while working on a crawfish farm in 2018, allegedly in an attempt to scare the bird away. He will face no jail time, no fines, and will not be asked to forfeit his firearms, though he will lose his hunting and fishing licenses while on probation.

“I had a strong feeling that Aucoin was going to get off pretty easy, but I did not anticipate how easy,” says Lizzie Condon, the International Crane Foundation’s outreach coordinator and Whooping Crane specialist. Condon, who attended the hearing, had hoped for at least a heavy fine. “We really wanted to have one on [Aucoin’s] record because, in my opinion, there has not been really strong sentencing administered in Louisiana, where this is a huge problem.”

Louisiana has the highest rate of Whooping Crane shootings in the country—11 birds have been killed in the state since 2011, when its nonmigratory flock was established by the ICF and its partners as part of a larger reintroduction effort. The flock lost two other members to shootings in Texas, bringing its total number down to fewer than 70 birds.

Despite the Whooping Crane being severely endangered, Aucoin benefitted from a Department of Justice rule called the McKittrick Policy. It requires proof that a defendant was aware they were killing an endangered animal in order for them to be prosecuted under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). With prior knowledge being extremely difficult to prove, the federal government instead charged Aucoin with a misdemeanor violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA).

How a Whooping Crane killing is prosecuted can have a significant effect on the severity of the sentence, though the exact punishments still vary widely. A Texas shooter charged with violating the ESA in 2016 was fined $25,810 and sentenced to 200 hours of community service as well as five years’ probation. The sentence for a 2011 Alabama shooting tried under the MBTA, on the other hand, resulted in a mere $425 fine. A sampling of the past decade’s Whooping Crane shooting cases show a pattern of harsher punishments for shooters tried under the ESA, making the McKittrick Policy especially important.

Tough sentences act as more than just a deterrent: Hefty fines and restitutions reflect the fact that a single Whooping Crane can cost more than $100,000 to hatch, raise, and monitor into adulthood. Once abundant in parts of the Midwest and southern U.S., the birds were hunted to near-extinction in the early 1900s. In recent decades, the ICF and others have successfully reestablished several flocks. But despite efforts to protect the birds through education and advocacy, 42 Whooping Cranes have been shot dead in North America since the species was classified as endangered in 1967.

The crane killed by Aucoin, known as L8-11, was considered one of “the most valuable birds in the flock,” according to an ICF press release. He and his mate had been successfully nesting and mating since 2014, when they produced the first pair of Whooping Crane eggs laid in Louisiana outside of captivity. This makes his loss “particularly devastating,” Condon told the Associated Press.

The crawfish farm where L8-11 was killed was adjacent to the property where he had lived and nested with his mate for the past five years. According to Sarah Zimorski, a wildlife biologist with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the owner of the nearby property became worried after noticing the bird’s absence.

“The landowner contacted me in the evening and said that he was concerned, that he thought something was wrong,” she says. “He was only seeing one bird, and it was continuously calling and flying around the property.” Whooping Cranes mate for life and spend most of their time together, so the report alarmed Zimorski and her colleagues. “That was a huge red flag for us right away,” she says. The crane’s body was later recovered using GPS tracker data.

It is unclear why Whooping Cranes are so often the victims of shootings, but records show that hunters are rarely to blame.

It is unclear why Whooping Cranes are so often the victims of shootings, but records show that hunters are rarely to blame: A 2018 report by the ICF found that 72 percent of shooters identified since 1990 were not actively hunting at the time of their crime. Instead, the majority of perpetrators are illegal poachers who consider the cranes a nuisance, a threat to crops, or merely a convenient target.

"Louisianians are proud of their sportsman’s paradise, a common slogan of the state, but there is nothing sporting about shooting this or other protected species,” say Erik Johnson, Audubon Louisiana’s director of bird conservation.

At the hearing, Aucoin’s lawyer, federal public defender James Klock, argued that a fishing license suspension would serve as a suitable punishment for Aucoin, who enjoys fishing recreationally. More severe punishments like fines or jail time, Klock argued, would be inappropriate for his client due to his low income, clean criminal record, and a lack of malicious motive. “It wasn't just senseless,” he said. “He wasn't trying to profit.”

While the ICF and other conservation groups were not permitted to make statements at the hearing, a few of them, including Orleans Audubon, attended a private meeting with the U.S Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana a few days before. An unusual occurrence, the gathering lasted more than an hour and gave the crane advocates a chance to discuss the prevalence and severity of the issue directly with court representatives.

“I did not feel they really understood the gravity of this crime and why so many people care about it,” Condon, who was in attendance, says. “They were comparing it to other wildlife violations that, while they should be taken seriously, are happening to other species that can easily repopulate themselves.”

In addition to the meeting, several of the groups were permitted to submit letters to the court in support of a tough sentence. Magistrate Carol Whitehurst emphasized that she read every letter, including those from Orleans Audubon, Audubon Louisiana, and the Louisiana Ornithological Society. “There are many people here who take this offense very seriously, and that includes me,” she said. Ultimately, however, she gave Aucoin the lenient sentence.

Although Condon was disappointed by the outcome of the hearing, she hopes any headway made with the court will carry over to other shooting cases. “I think the silver lining is that we have started to develop a direct relationship with the justice system in that part of the country,” she says. “They need to help us, as they do with so many crimes, to create some deterrents so that this doesn’t happen in the future.”

The opportunity for a tougher sentence is not far off: Next month, the arraignment for yet another Whooping Crane shooting case is taking place. The defendant, a Louisiana man named Kaenon Constantin, allegedly shot and killed two Whooping Cranes in 2016. He is being tried under the Lacey Act, which prohibits the transport of endangered animals. Although few details about the case are publicly available, it represents the culmination of a 3-year investigation.

Meanwhile, the ICF recently introduced 11 new chicks to the Louisiana flock. While they should help bolster the group's numbers, the fate of the young birds remains uncertain. “I actually went and saw the chicks,” Condon says. “It’s really sad to think that at least one of them is going to get shot. Statistically, probably two or three of them will get shot in the state of Louisiana.”

— National Audubon Society

[bufonite]

I haven’t logged into this blog in like a year but I’m coming back to ask literally WHAT are you fucking talking about lmao

“there are too damn many of us for us ALL to be ethically sourcing.“

“The term “Ethically sourced” can mean 15 different things to 15 different people. You can only define ethics for yourself, no one else. To me, as long as an animal is legal to possess, was taken during an open season with the proper permits and killed in a fast, humane way, it’s perfectly ethical. So to me 99% of the bone artists are 100% ethical and no problem whatsoever.

“most of these people wouldn’t dare go out into the woods and pick up a carcass and process the bones, instead theyre buying pre-cleaned bones from hunters and thinking the rest of us can’t tell. “

...And? Are you really trashing people for not wanting to play with dead things? I have zero issues with ripping intestines out with my bare hands, but not everyone is going to go crawl into a dead animal like that scene in Star Wars.

Have you considered that sometimes people live in apartments and have no room to process entire dead animals?

Sometimes people live with parents or other relatives that forbid them from bringing dead animals into the house so they’re forced to buy already clean remains?

Sometimes people have health conditions that prevent them from doing a lot of physical labor and hauling around heavy frozen animals, sitting for hours and skinning/gutting them, and then moving around 50lb+ containers of maceration water?

Sometimes people are squeamish and have a fear of blood, gore, etc?

I’m glad that this hobby is so open to people of all walks of life, no matter if they can process things themselves or support hunters and trappers by purchasing things from them! No one should be unable to participate in something they love just because of their current life situation!

“which means there’s more of a market for hunters and trappers (which i personally don’t have a problem with, but I do if the animal is just being killed for its bones or pelt, and they often are).“

I’ve always found the whole “You can kill animals for food BUT NOTHING ELSE! LITERALLY NOTHING ELSE!” Really ridiculous. If you don’t want to buy from the big nasty hunters and trappers great, no one is forcing you to.

Would you rather they just kill the animal and toss it in a ditch? Would you rather people buy shitty plastic- I mean, ~fake fur~ instead of making garments that are actually warm and last years longer than fake fur will? Would you rather animals become overpopulated and begin spreading diseases amongst themselves?

“people like this are the reason theres laws in every state about bone collecting, and if this shit gets more popular and yall can’t learn to find and clean your own bones, WE’RE ALL GONNA BE FEDERALLY OUTLAWED.“

I’m losing my MIND what are you on about? Collecting bones is going to be federally outlawed because... People make art? What? There are already strict laws in place dictating how many animals you can take to prevent animals from becoming threatened, and poaching is literally illegal.

I very seriously doubt a few people making art with bones is going to lead to Migratory Bird Treaty Act 2: Electric Boogaloo. Laws are already in place to prevent that from ever happening again. There’s a reason people in this community always remind others about following laws properly.

You seriously sound like one of those people that says shit like “YOU CAN’T LISTEN TO THAT BAND! I GREW UP LISTENING TO THAT BAND, I LIKED THEM BEFORE THEY WERE COOL! YOU’RE JUST A STUPID HIPSTER, GO BACK TO LISTENING TO YOUR LADY GOO GOO AND KATY PORRY!”

I literally can’t FATHOM a reason why you would look at bone art becoming popular and more excepted and finding that a bad thing. You were made fun of as a kid for doing it but now kids today might not be! Why is it a bad thing? Would you rather it continue to be frowned upon and people be harassed for what they love?

a rant

okay the sudden influx of vulture culture artists is officially a problem. there are too damn many of us for us ALL to be ethically sourcing. most of these people wouldn't dare go out into the woods and pick up a carcass and process the bones, instead theyre buying pre-cleaned bones from hunters and thinking the rest of us can't tell. which means there's more of a market for hunters and trappers (which i personally don't have a problem with, but I do if the animal is just being killed for its bones or pelt, and they often are). people like this are the reason theres laws in every state about bone collecting, and if this shit gets more popular and yall can't learn to find and clean your own bones, WE'RE ALL GONNA BE FEDERALLY OUTLAWED. I have been doing bone art since I was 16, and I was constantly told it was gross and weird, now everyone and their mom does it, and are gonna ruin it for us all. thanks.

[irradiatedsnakes]

theterrifyingrenegadeteenager: My dad and I found this bird spine (at least, that’s what we think it is) at Thornton Beach Vista a day or so ago. Any chance you could tell me what bird/animal it comes from, what if anything I should do to maintain it, etc.?

so, as for identification, i’m afraid to say i’ve got no clue. i’m really only good at id’ing skulls, most bones beyond that aren’t my area of expertise. if you’d like to send some more close-up pictures though, especially of that end on the left, i can certainly try my best at the very least getting you a general id. anybody seeing this post is also welcome to provide their own input there.

secondly, if it is a bird, since you’re in the us (unless there’s a different thornton beach google isnt telling me about) it’s almost certainly a species protected by the migratory bird treaty act, making it illegal to own. here’s more info on that.

as for maintenance, that kinda depends on what you’d like it to be. if you think it looks good as is, then you don’t need to do anything. it looks sufficiently dried out, so if you put it on a shelf in a cool, dry place it’ll almost certainly be fine for a very long time.

if you want the bones nice and white and clean though, you’re gonna have to do some more work. it looks like there’s a good amount of leftover soft tissue on it, enough that i think maceration is going to be your best bet. for that, submerge the specimen in a shallow amount of water in a tupperware container or similar closeable container, and set it (outside, unless it seals VERY well, maceration tubs stink (though, this one shouldn’t much, since there’s so little tissue to rot away)) in an area where it will get warm. this facilitates decomposer bacteria to do their thing, and cleans bones just perfectly, it’s how i clean all of mine.

after a few weeks in there (or however long it takes for the tissue to become removable, its very case-by-case), take the spine out, rinse it off, and submerge it in some 3% hydrogen peroxide (the regular sort you get at any grocery or drugstore for like a buck a bottle, though note that ive been having trouble finding much lately, due to covid-related panic buying (please note i could find NO studies showing regular, 3% h2o2 as having any covid-related benefits..)) for about a week. should be completely white at that point! if not, determine if you need to put it in peroxide for a bit longer or should try degreasing it. but it should be fine by then.

note that this cleaning process will disarticulate the spine- with no soft tissue to hold it in place, the vertebrae will likely fall apart from one another, requiring you to puzzle out which go where if you’d like to reassemble them.