On May 30, New York State Environmental Conservation Officers (ECOs) Boyes and Lovgren responded to the town of Montgomery in Orange County for reports of a deceased Great Blue Heron. The complainant reported hearing a gunshot before observing the bird on the ground near a pond.
The Officers reported that they arrived at the location and discovered the deceased heron with injuries consistent with a gunshot and noticed only one house with a clear line of sight to the adjoining pond.
They said they interviewed the resident of the house who eventually admitted to shooting the heron that morning. The ECOs ticketed the defendant for illegally taking protected wildlife and sent the blue heron to the DEC Wildlife Unit for a necropsy.
On June 25, a DEC pathologist confirmed the cause of death.
Read more about Great Blue Herons in New York State.
Photo of Great Blue Heron courtesy Wikimedia user Terry Foote.
Bastard.