In the United States, there are a number of federal wildlife laws pertaining to eagles and their feathers (e.g. The Lacey Act, The Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act), however the "eagle feather law" in its most common usage refers to Title 50 Part 22 of the United States Code of Federal Regulations (50 CFR 22), the federal law governing the use and possession of eagle (and other migratory bird species) feathers as religious objects. ******************** The eagle feather law provides certain exceptions to federal wildlife laws regarding eagles and other migratory birds to enable Native Americans to continue to practice traditional indigenous religious and spiritual customs, of which the use and possession of eagle feathers is central. ****************** Under the current language of the eagle feather law, only individuals of certifiable Native American ancestry enrolled in a federally recognized tribe are legally authorized to obtain eagle feathers and eagle feather permits. Those caught with eagle feathers for religious use without permits can be arrested and face fines up to $25,000 and imprisonment. *************** Obtaining an eagle permit under the eagle feather law can be complicated. To legally possess eagle feathers for use in Native American spiritual practices, citizens must first be able to legally prove their ethnicity. This is generally accomplished by providing documentation of Native American ancestry officially recorded in the original Dawes Rolls (or Final Rolls of Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes, or the Dawes Commission of Final Rolls) and documentation of current membership in a federally recognized tribe. ************** Tribal membership often requires a minimum blood quantum of one quarter Native American ancestry (having at least one grandparent who was full blood Native American), although blood quantum requirements for tribal membership vary widely. ************* While the eagle feather law allows for individuals who are adopted members of federally recognized tribes to obtain eagle feathers and eagle feather permits, all applicants for eagle permits must submit an application to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for religious use of eagle feathers.
| bald eagles | | tribal | feathers | law | eagles | hawks | falcons | |
Other Products You Might Like
