[Niigig]

I learned a lot recently about eagle feathers, and I thought, "Hey, maybe someone else will wonder like I did, why not write it down, just in case?" So here it is.

I had emailed the DNR here in Minnesota asking about the laws concerning eagle feathers, and specifically whether I could purchase some from a Chinese seller on ebay to give as gifts here. These are email responses from officials working in Minnesota, but the laws extend to all of the United States.

"Hello and thank you for your great questions.

You are correct that it is illegal for anyone to possess any part of a migratory bird (under the migratory bird treaty act, MBTA) including nests, eggs, feathers, bones, fluid, etc. Eagles and their feathers and parts have additional protection under the bald and golden eagle act of 1940. Both of these acts can be looked up to find the language therein. If someone who IS native American finds an eagle or eagle feather, they still have to turn it over to the repository in order to have it or other feathers distributed to them by the repository. They need to fill out an application (available online) and be granted the parts of the eagle they are requesting. Eagle feathers or dead eagles should be brought to the DNR or FWS offices so we can send them to the repository. Even DNR is not allowed to keep these eagles or feathers, without a proper permit and we have maxed out our permit. Non-eagle migratory birds or their parts are sometimes possessed for educational purposes, permits which are given to teachers or other educational facilities.

Domestic or farm animals do not fall under wildlife laws and do not have the same protection. [ Which is why imitation feathers should be used whenever possible, way less of a headache, way easier to come by and keep ] As far as receiving feathers from other countries, you would need to find out about cities (pronounced SIGHT-eees) permits and laws from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. I have cc’d their permit office to answer those questions for you. I hope this is helpful. Let me know if you have further questions."

And here is the response from the office mentioned in the last paragraph, concerning importing feathers.

"The US Fish and Wildlife Service does not allow for the sale of eagle feathers, therefore a website such as this would not be permissible in the US. In addition, the purchase of eagle feathers is prohibited regardless of the origin of the feathers.

Thank you."

Whether or not anyone chooses to abide by these laws is their own personal choice, but I felt it worthwhile to make people aware of what they might be in for if they choose to ignore them. I do understand why a person might not feel the need to abide by these laws, or why someone could feel that they would face a greater spiritual consequence going about it the other way, but for those who want the information, it is here. I was not sure if I should post contact info for these officials so I did not, but they were very easy to find and get ahold of, and extremely pleasant to talk to. As someone unregistered with a tribe... I think I will personally be sticking with the painted turkey feathers.

[OLChemist]

I've seen those Chinese eagle feathers offered for sale on various import websites. CITIES seems receive about as much respect as REACH and RoHS and Prop65. Pretty much none.

[wardancer]

This has been cussed and discussed in other threads. It's always good to have this information handy though ! Here's a link to another thread:

FAQ: laws about eagle feathers

[milehighsalute]

Originally Posted by OLChemist

I've seen those Chinese eagle feathers offered for sale on various import websites. CITIES seems receive about as much respect as REACH and RoHS and Prop65. Pretty much none.

are any of the asian breeds on the US migratory or raptor act?

[Niigig]

Originally Posted by milehighsalute

are any of the asian breeds on the US migratory or raptor act?

I think we have some of the same species, or similar enough that they still fall under it... The one I looked at, the seller claimed they were the same animal, but didn't say where he got the feathers from originally. Eagles don't like... Migrate to China, do they?

[Joe's Dad]

How are you gonna contest against Josh Bear, Lonnie Street or Ardell Scalplock in imitation eagle feathers?

You have to be wearing ruby slippers!

[OLChemist]

Originally Posted by milehighsalute

are any of the asian breeds on the US migratory or raptor act?

Some are under MBTA or Lacey. But, almost all members of ACCIPITRIDAE -- eagles and hawks -- are covered by CITES, to which the US is a signatory.

Eagles regulated under CITES:

Aquila adalberti, Adalbert's Eagle
Aquila adalberti, Spanish Imperial Eagle
Aquila adalberti, White-shouldered Eagle
Aquila audax, Wedge-tailed Eagle
Aquila chrysaetos, Golden Eagle
Aquila clanga, Greater Spotted Eagle
Aquila clanga, Spotted Eagle
Aquila gurneyi, Gurney's Eagle
Aquila hastata, Indian Spotted Eagle
Aquila heliaca, Eastern Imperial Eagle
Aquila heliaca, Imperial Eagle
Aquila nipalensis, Steppe Eagle
Aquila pomarina, Lesser Spotted Eagle
Aquila rapax, Tawny Eagle
Aquila verreauxii, African Black Eagle
Aquila verreauxii, Black Eagle
Aquila verreauxii, Verreaux's Eagle
Circaetus gallicus, Short-toed Eagle
Geranoaetus melanoleucus , Black-chested Eagle
Haliaeetus albicilla, Grey Sea Eagle
Haliaeetus albicilla, White-tailed Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus , White-headed Eagle
Haliaeetus vocifer, River Eagle
Haliastur indus, White-headed Sea Eagle
Haliastur indus, Red-backed Sea Eagle
Haliastur sphenurus, Whistling Eagle
Harpia harpyja, American Harpy Eagle
Harpia harpyja, Harpy Eagle
Harpyhaliaetus coronatus, Crowned Eagle
Harpyhaliaetus coronatus , Crowned Solitary Eagle
Harpyhaliaetus solitarius, Black Solitary Eagle
Harpyhaliaetus solitarius, Solitary Eagle
Harpyopsis novaeguineae, New Guinea Eagle
Harpyopsis novaeguineae , New Guinea Harpy Eagle
Hieraaetus ayresii, Ayres's Eagle
Hieraaetus fasciatus, Bonelli's Eagle
Hieraaetus kienerii, Rufous-bellied Eagle
Hieraaetus morphnoides, Little Eagle
Hieraaetus pennatus, Booted Eagle
Hieraaetus spilogaster, African Eagle
Hieraaetus wahlbergi, Wahlberg's Eagle
Ichthyophaga humilis, Lesser Fishing Eagle
Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus , Grey-headed Fishing Eagle
Ictinaetus malayensis, Asian Black Eagle
Ictinaetus malayensis, Black Eagle
Ictinaetus malayensis, Indian Black Eagle
Lophaetus occipitalis, Long-crested Eagle
Morphnus guianensis, Crested Eagle
Morphnus guianensis, Guianan Crested Eagle
Oroaetus isidori, Black-and-chestnut Eagle
Oroaetus isidori, Isidor's Eagle
Pithecophaga jefferyi, Great Philippine Eagle
Pithecophaga jefferyi, Monkey-eating Eagle
Pithecophaga jefferyi, Philippine Eagle
Polemaetus bellicosus, Martial Eagle
Spilornis klossi, Nicobar Serpent Eagle
Stephanoaetus coronatus, Crowned Eagle
Stephanoaetus coronatus , African Crowned Eagle
Terathopius ecaudatus, Bateleur Eagle

[OLChemist]

Originally Posted by Niigig

I think we have some of the same species, or similar enough that they still fall under it... The one I looked at, the seller claimed they were the same animal, but didn't say where he got the feathers from originally. Eagles don't like... Migrate to China, do they?

I'm not sure if individual eagles travel that far. But many types of eagles, including golden eagles, live in the Old World.

When the Great Seal of the United State was designed, William Barton's golden eagle was changed to a bald eagle, because the golden eagle had flow over Europe. Some years later, Ben Franklin wrote his daughter lamenting the choice. He considered the eagle a lazy and cowardly bird and thought the turkey much more courageous.

Some Scots clan regalia includes eagle feathers. European heraldry is replete with images of eagles. They are in the Bible: "...they shall mount up with the wings like eagles... (‎Isaiah 40:31)" Eagles are important in many cultures.

(Oh, heavens the crud that sticks in your brain after a decade in academia.)

Golden Eagles
Bald Eagles

[Niigig]

OLChemist you are the smartest person in the world. Can I come live with you. Lmao.

[DaisyMaisy]

Ok OLChemist - now say it in Latin or Greek!

I didn't know it was illegal to have feathers, especially eagles or migratory birds. Not that I have any, but good to know nonetheless. Thanks for posting this thread Niigig.

[OLChemist]

Originally Posted by DaisyMaisy

Ok OLChemist - now say it in Latin or Greek!

Oh, heck no. That list is courtesy of spending way too much time dealing with EU regulations. Consequently, I have a huge list of UK sites that have lovely downloadable lists of things covered by various laws. I downloaded them birdies, LOL.

For reasons I still find incomprehensible I choose to study Hellenistic and Koine Greek for a very short time. Since the texts everyone uses for that are the New Testament and some Gnostic stuff, I can still recite John 1:1 in Greek: Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος, καὶ ὁ Λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν, καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος.

Because everyone in those classes was a pastoral student, except me, they had the Bible memorized. So the prof would use scraps of Gnostic texts for tests, so nobody could guess from the whole thing because they recognized three or four keywords. You'd be translating the section and really start wondering if you should have studied more when you read about Jesus cursing a playmate and killing him.

I was mainlining dominant culture studies in those days, LOL.

[AmigoKumeyaay]

Mongol eagle hunters, near China

[Joe's Dad]

Originally Posted by AmigoKumeyaay

Mongol eagle hunters, near China

Mongolians are bad a$$. That's where wardancer's family comes from. Crossed the toll bridge.

[Niigig]

I knew Mongolians were masters at mounted archery but I didn't know they also had eagles. That is awesome.

[wardancer]

Originally Posted by Joe's Dad

Mongolians are bad a$$. That's where wardancer's family comes from. Crossed the toll bridge.

I think that's my uncle Benny in that video !
After we crossed the toll bridge , we blew it up hoping Joe'sDad's people couldn't follow us ( they were always following us around trying to get our sacred ruby slippers). But they found a way over anyway and so to get them to stop following us , we gave them the sacred ruby slippers ! We lived happily ever after , The End !

[OLChemist]

The toll-bridge? Must have been built by TxDOT. (Can you tell I'm bitter?)

I just want to know who in here was the Troll? I've got the three billy goats gruff pegged, JD, Wardancer and MHS.

[Niigig]

I loved that book when I was little but thinking back on it I can't even remember how it ended. Did the troll make soup out of all 3 of them or what? LOL

[milehighsalute]

if the troll was native he probably let them go and made soup out of their dogs

[wardancer]

Gruff ??? BUH !

[Niigig]

LOL!!! What even!