Tribe reacts to man who was sentenced for killing 3,600 birds, including eagles

SANDERS, Idaho — New photos show evidence against a Cusick, Washington, man accused of killing thousands of birds, including bald and golden birds.

The man will spend just under four years in prison for the crimes.

The birds were killed in part for their feathers, which are sacred to many indigenous people, including the Coeur d’Alene Tribe.

Eagles represent things like strength and freedom, but to the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and tribes across the nation, they have a more deep-rooted cultural significance.

“We view these animals as the closest animals that we have in our country to the creator himself,” Hemene James, the Coeur d’Alene Vice Chairman, said.

James said these animals are viewed as overseers and liaisons between humans and the spiritual world for Native American people.

James said that’s why in the Native American culture, they cherish all of the different gifts given to them by the eagles and use them for ceremonial purposes amongst other things. He said he is personally hurt when he hears that people disrespect these animals.

“It makes me sad as an Indian person,” James said. “At no point in the history of the CDA Tribe or Indian people in general have we ever condoned the thoughtless and the emotionless taking of these animals.”

With their significance to Native American culture in mind, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe opened an eagle aviary where they are able to house up to four bald eagles and four golden eagles at a time.

“We picked up this parcel of land and thought this would be the perfect place to house these birds,” Ralph Allan, Fish and Wildlife Program Manager for the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, said.

Allan said they originally got the permit for the project from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service back in 2016. They also have a classroom on site where they teach students about these animals, as well as give guided tours of the facility.

Allan said eagles molt every year, so on top of making sure these eagles are healthy, they are also able to use their gifts for the community.

“To be able to take care of these birds and distribute the feathers that are lost every year to our tribal membership is a great deal,” Allan said.

Allan said the aviary isn’t a rehabilitation center, though all of the birds that are taken there either have injuries or were abandoned as babies, so they wouldn’t be able to survive out in the wild.

The Coeur d’Alene Tribe said they haven’t seen poachers in the area in recent years, and in fact, have seen eagle populations grow. It’s something James said is a testament to the resiliency of these creatures.

“It gives us inspiration as Indian people to know that we share that with those eagles,” James said.

Allan said the future goals for the aviary are to get funding for upkeeping as well as moving it to a more centralized location for everyone to be able to enjoy.