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15 Feb ’12
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strange story
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho (AP) — An Idaho woman faces charges after authorities say she beat a hunter's falcon to death with a beaded scarf after seeing the bird of prey take down a duck.
Patti MacDonald, 60, of Hauser, was charged with a misdemeanor count of beating or harassing an animal, the Coeur d'Alene Press reported (http://bit.ly/1EVs0LB ).
Authorities say MacDonald fractured the skull of the 8-year-old falcon named Hornet on Jan. 7. The duck also died and was being stored as evidence, Idaho Fish and Game said.
Hornet's owner, Scott Dinger, said MacDonald should be charged with killing a protected species.
He said he was about 500 yards away when Hornet made a successful attack and landed with the duck. He said he was approaching the spot then he saw a red Jeep Wrangler pull up to the side of the road, and Hornet flew away but appeared injured.
Dinger said the woman told him she beat the bird, which had been with humans since the day it was hatched.
"So they don't really know they are falcons," Dinger said. "That was probably a part of his undoing, because you could walk up to him and he wouldn't fly or try to get away."
Craig Walker, a regional conservation officer for Idaho Fish and Game, said he later received an anonymous call from a woman saying she tried to save a duck from a falcon. The phone system identified the caller as MacDonald.
Walker wrote in his report that the woman stated "that she had been very upset about the duck being injured, but felt bad about injuring someone's pet."
Kootenai County Prosecutor Barry McHugh said he reviewed Walker's report and determined the misdemeanor charge was appropriate. Beating or harassing an animal is punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $5,000 for a first-time offender.
No phone listing could be listed for MacDonald to try to reach her for comment Monday.
Dinger said it was tough to accept what happened because his bird was 8 years old, and falcons can live for about 30 years when they're with humans.
"I had planned for Hornet to live longer than me," Dinger said.
21 Feb ’12
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Wow, logic much? I'm going to kill this bird because I'm upset about it killing a bird...
6 Feb ’14
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Initially from the title, I wondered before reading the story if the falcon had entered the woman's property and if the duck was hers. Sounds like she simply witnessed things and pulled to the side of a public road. That the falcon was raised by and trusted humans makes it especially tragic.
I wonder if she knew it was a pet falcon before striking it.
15 Feb ’12
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DangerDuke said
Wow, logic much? I'm going to kill this bird because I'm upset about it killing a bird...
yeah, crazy
28 Feb ’12
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beaded scarf?
15 Feb ’12
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I have no clue what that is
4 Mar ’12
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sad story. glad she was caught, at least
3 Jun ’12
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earthenstead said
I wonder if she knew it was a pet falcon before striking it.
Well........ the leather jess's would have been a clue
If you or I killed a falcon in the wild, and were caught, it would be a felony with STIFF consequences. This is complete BS. I wonder if somebody with some clout stepped in on this one because I just can't imagine such a light penalty for this. Heck, if somebody beat a prized hunting dog to death with a purse, would it be a misdemeanor? No, it wouldn't.
Anyone that's been involved with falconry knows just how valuable those birds are. Article doesn't say what type of falcon it was, but even the more "common" types are spendy, merely based on all the legal hoops one has to go thru to keep them. I am not a sue happy person, but I hope this guy sues the bajeezus out of this lady.
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