I have noted the advice that Mark Clayton provided, which I also believe is
technically correct. I hope his and my advice dissuades you / your friend.
Although I know of no case where a person has successfully been prosecuted
for keeping feathers, within Australia. Especially when you look at how
uninterested most state governments are in enforcing environmental
protection and that so many are willing to allow things like duck shooting
(the USA is of course vastly worse). Maintaining a permit for keeping a
collection here is not difficult. Of course you could wander the bush areas
where Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos occur, at the right time of year, or
much easier ask people who have them in captivity and depending on how long
you have to do that, you would in time find some. I would not be at all
surprised if there are other people locally who have these feathers as they
do look nice. It is not unusual to see people with feathers in their hat,
(apart from the common Ring-neck Pheasant feathers and painted chicken
feathers). It would need a big hat for the ones you are asking about. Even
so, you would be foolish to display (as a trophy) an item as conspicuous as
what you describe, without having the relevant state permit.
HOWEVER
In addition to issues of state legislation, attempting export of items of
native fauna outside of Australia is a totally different proposition,
covered by specific legislation, especially created for reasons of stifling
a collection mentality. So it would be almost incomprehensible that an
export permit would be given to a private individual for the reasons you
ask. It would tend to encourage an interest in what you are asking, which
is exactly what the laws were designed to prevent. Nor would I suggest you
or your friend try to do this. It is almost certain that if a person is
caught trying to export such an item without a written permit (and who knows
how long that would take to be granted, if at all), these items would be
confiscated at the airport and presumably destroyed and you would not be
allowed to export them. Also depending on how much time you allow at
customs, you would probably face a delay at the airport and maybe even miss
booked flights and likely also face a substantial fine for attempting to
export parts of fauna without a permit.
I am of course pleased that it is very difficult to come by such items in
the US. That is the way it should be. The problem about "find some tail
feathers (that have been shed)" is that if a desire is created, then it can
lead to a market to obtain by other ways, and once off the bird it is hard
to demonstrate provenance. That is why the restrictions exist for parts of
fauna, as well as for whole live animals.
Philip
-----Original Message-----From: Mark Clayton
Sent: Monday, 28 April 2014 4:51 PM To: 'Dan Rayner'
Cc: 'Canberra Birds' Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Need feathers.
Yellow-tailed black cockatoo
Hi Dan,
It is actually illegal to have in your possession without a permit any
feathers from Australian birds, or other piece of wildlife and it is
considered a serious crime to try and export them. All native animals belong
to "the Crown" i.e the Federal, State or Territory Governments. You could
try and get permits but this will most likely be refused as you would need
permits from, if the feathers for example are from the ACT, the ACT
Government, The NSW Government and the Federal Government.
When you think about it, if you are caught with prohibited wildlife, the
onus is on you to prove that you did not kill the species concerned,
something that would be quite hard to do. I think it would be hard even for
our Indigenous people to do something like this.
Sorry to put a "dampener" on this but better to be safe than sorry.
Cheers,
Mark
-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Rayner
Sent: Monday, 28 April 2014 4:27 PM
To:
Subject: Need feathers. Yellow-tailed black cockatoo
Hi All,
I mostly enjoy just reading posts to this group but now I have a request for
advice.
I have an anthropologist friend who works with US mid-west plains Native
American groups (Cheyenne & Sioux etc) visiting Australia right now and he
really wants to get them something to say thanks for their collaboration.
These groups like tail feathers of various birds and the current feathers in
fashion are the tail feathers of Australian black cockatoos, specifically
white-tailed & yellow-tailed cockatoos & palm cockatoos - very difficult to
come by in the US. I realise the most common of these in the ACT are
yellow-tailed black cockatoos but does anyone know where around Canberra I
might best find some tail feathers (that have been shed)?
Kind regards,
Dan Rayner
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