The Migratory Bird Treaty Act was enacted in 1918. This statute makes it unlawful to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill or sell birds listed therein (“migratory birds”). The statute does not discriminate between live or dead birds and also grants full protection to any bird parts including feathers, eggs and nests. There are a few narrow exceptions such as for the religious purposes of American Indian tribes.

It was a small group of birders from the Chilmark Community Center that met Tuesday morning for the weekly bird walk.

What am I looking at? It appears to be a punk-rock bird star. What I see first is a stiff gray crest, gray belly and a black bill. Then as the bird turns I see the remainder of the back feathers is gray as well. It is only when I spot a slight reddishness in the outer tail feathers that I realized the bird in question is an immature northern cardinal. What a difference from the all-red adult which has a red bill surrounded by black feathers.

July and August are exciting times for birders on the Vineyard.