Companies can now get away with killing America’s birds

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If BP killed another million seabirds, it would face no penalty under the new Migratory Bird Treaty Act

in 1896, a Bostonian socialite called Harriet Lawrence Hemenway read an article about the devastation of a colony of nesting birds by plume-hunters. Disgust at their grisly trade, which was eradicating millions of birds a year to meet Americans’ demand for feathery swank, surged in her like a ball of regurgitated feathers and crustaceans from a grebe’s crop. This would prove to be a turning-point in America’s relationship with nature.

Lobbying by Audubon groups helped produce a remarkable series of bird protections, including the Lacey Act of 1900 and, following a pro-bird pact with British Canada, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, which made it illegal to harm most native birds not hunted for sport. This landmark environmental law—and model for later ones such as the Endangered Species Act—probably saved several decorative birds, such as the snowy egret and sandhill crane, from extinction.

Despite improvements in signalling electric lines, these kill even more: perhaps 25m a year. Climate change and habitat loss may be bigger threats; a recent study found America’s bird population had fallen by 30% over the past 50 years. The fact that the administration is nonetheless intent on gutting birds’ main legal protection shows how far it is from honouring its spirit—and the decades-old bipartisan consensus behind it.

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dhershiser ThanksImpeachedForever45

Wind turbines and some solar energy developments have been getting away with it for years. I don't recall any outrage from your organization. Did I miss something? And, BTW, I am not if favor of any killing of migratory or local resident bird populations.

But the windmills

OMGOSH this administration must go. It sees money not our life. They care about their pockets not our children...

😭 what can we do NOW?

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