WOODBURY, Minn. (NEXSTAR) — Body parts from eight raptors, including four bald eagles, were dumped in a Minnesota neighborhood last week, and federal authorities are offering a $2,500 reward for information.
All 16 of the birds’ feet — each with the talon removed from each toe — were found Thursday in a residential area in Woodbury, Minnesota.
“A lucrative commercial market exists in raptor parts,” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Agent Patrick Lund said in a press release. “We believe the talons from the raptor feet found in Woodbury may have been used to make jewelry for commercial sale.”
A forensic examination is underway.
Bald eagles and other raptors are protected by federal law.
Under the Bald Eagle Protection Act, the unlawful take or possession of a bald eagle, a national emblem of the United States, or bald eagle parts carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
A second offense is considered a felony.