Alexander Alvarez of Atmore, Alabama, has pled guilty to “killing migratory birds and selling the feathers on the black market” in a killing spree that dates back to 2006. In addition to numerous Anhingas he was also found to have feathers from “four red-shouldered hawks, two Cooper’s hawks, two pileated woodpeckers, one red-tailed hawk, on rough-legged hawk, one broad-winged hawk, one golden eagle, one osprey, one sharp-shinned hawk, one Mississippi kite, one peregrine falcon, one American kestrel, and another bird that was identified as either a Gila woodpecker or red-bellied woodpecker.”
He faces up to seven-and-a-half years in prison and fines totaling more than $500,000. It’s nice to see laws against killing birds and selling their feathers enforced.
We should be thankful that the list doesn’t include the first verified Ivory-billed Woodpecker since the 1940ies. Geez, he must have shot at everything that moves in the South…