Is it illegal to collect bird feathers, eggs and nests?
YES! The Migratory Bird Treaty Act is a federal law that prohibits all collection and possession of migratory birds, as well as their parts and products (feathers, eggs, nests). The best thing to do if you come across empty nests, or feathers and eggs on the ground, is to leave them where they are. When you think about the history of plume-hunting, hawk-shooting and other abuses which led to this law, you can see why there can be no exceptions to it.
