crowfeathers

[arethinn]

My front bumper usually clears parking-lot burms/curbs(/kerbs), but today I managed to scrape the front left a little parking at Trader Joe's. This is mildly annoying, but if I hadn't done it, I wouldn't have gotten out to look at the damage, and I would have missed a crow feather lying right there in the little tree-planter-thingy I had parked next to.

This is amusing and serendipitous or whatever in itself, but when I came home with said feather in my hand, my dad said "oh! I found one of those outside and I picked it up for you, since I know you like them [a rather odd thing for him to do, actually]. I only saw it because it was sticking up out of the lawn like a flag."

This is amusing and serendipitous or whatever in itself (...is there an echo in here?), but one of the other crow feathers in my collection was one I found in the exact same position once -- sticking up out of the lawn.

If this keeps up, I'm eventually going to have enough crow feathers to make that feathered cloak I've always wanted. One begins to wonder if reading about feather cloaks in a book some years ago (...The Celtic Shaman? Maybe) and thinking "hey! wouldn't it be cool if..." is responsible for all this. I'm nowhere near the needed number yet (I can only begin to imagine how many I'd really need -- a couple of hundred at least, I'm sure), but still, I have sixteen of them now...

Comments

[lupagreenwolf.livejournal.com]

If you do make a feathered cloak, I wanna see pics *grin* I've had thoughts on how to make something along those lines, though on a smaller scale (headdress rather than entire cloak).

Just be aware that technically crow feathers are illegal to possess in the U.S., so don't let any game wardens see it.

[unseelie.livejournal.com]

so a long time ago - 20 years?
as part of a magical working, I got a .. binding? sort of Geas; where if I found a feather on the ground in a certain position (essentially standing up like a flag) I was bound to pick it up/take it home.
Years later and lots of feathers later....

.... November 2d, Autumns...

I no longer have that Geas.
I may still have the feathers.

;)

[arethinn]

Not that I disbelieve you, but I'm at a loss as to how picking up naturally shed feathers does any harm to the birds.

[arethinn]

By which you imply that you have *crow* feathers specifically, hmmm yes precious?

[halyn.livejournal.com]

It is :P I had a segment of class on wildlife regulations for zoo school and they pointed out that it's illegal to have any part of any bird that's migratory or native. So pigeons, starlings, and house sparrows are in the clear, but everything else isn't.

Not that this has stopped me either, mind you. I have my feather collection in tall clear jars sitting in the kitchen on a shelf where I can look at them.

[arethinn]

"It is [harmful]", you say, but then don't go on to explain how?

[halyn.livejournal.com]

It is [illegal]. I don't see it as harmful at all, or I wouldn't have mentioned my huge feather collection :>

[arethinn]

I wasn't doubting the illegality, only the logic of such a law. I suppose it is for fear that people are killing the birds to obtain the feathers, and just by looking at one you can't tell how it was gotten.

[lupagreenwolf.livejournal.com]

You're exactly right--the reason is because there's absolutely no way to prove you didn't go and shoot the bird in question and then rip the feathers off of it. Someone could go and shoot a bunch of bald eagles, strip the feathers, and bury the carcasses, hide most of the feathers, and then just display/sell/etc. a few at a time and say they found them fallen on the ground--and there'd be no way to know better.

[sol-itaire.livejournal.com]

I always used to find a raven feather after making a decision, but only if it was the right one! I like your journal, mind if I friend you?

[heartssdesire.livejournal.com]

Yep, the point of the restriction is basically to disincentivize poaching and remove the ability to excuse possession by claiming it was found. It actually applies to all animal parts, even things like deer - if you possess such a thing you're supposed to have the hunting tag to go with it. Since you cannot get a hunting tag for any rare/threatened/endangered species, it becomes simply illegal to possess parts. Almost all birds are actually protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, although you can get hunting tags for some common "game" birds that are not federal or state listed as rare/threatened/endangered.

There are a few species of birds which are specifically exempted from this protection - things like cowbirds, starlings etc, that are considered pest birds. I'm not certain, but I *think* crows are exempted too, because they are considered pests in some areas. Ravens, not so.

I have a similar collection, although I must admit mixing crow and raven feathers together. I've always thought it would be neat to make a cloak or headdress out of them too.

[arethinn]

Sure *shrug*