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Application for Permit to Possess Migratory Birds

Migratory Bird Repository

  • The LRBOI Natural Resources Department obtains migratory birds via salvage from natural or accidental deaths, rehabilitation losses, or law enforcement confiscations.
  • Birds and bird parts are made available to Tribal Membership at no cost on a first-come-first-served basis, subject to application procedures. 

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Contact LRBOI Public Safety (231-398-3413) or Natural Resources Department (231-723-1594).
  2. LRBOI staff will investigate the cause of death or injury to the bird, and determine the proper course of action.
  3. If the cause of injury or death is determined to be human malice, the bird will be considered evidence in an investigation and if the bird is a bald or golden eagle or a threatened or endangered species, Federal Law Enforcement should be contacted.
  4. If injury is determined to be accidental, LRBOI Staff will determine if the bird is fit to be taken to a rehabilitation center.
  5. If death is determined to be accidental, the bird should be registered into the Tribal Repository. Natural Resources Department will necropsy all bald and golden eagles to determine final cause of death and levels of toxicity.
  6. If a Tribal Member who discovered the bird also wishes to possess it after the investigation, application and permit procedures must still be followed. Additionally, no birds will be distributed to Tribal Members before a full necropsy is performed to determine toxicity and disease risk. 

Enrolled Members of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians in good standing and with a valid Tribal ID card. 

Members must not have been convicted or assessed a penalty for activities related to the permit, or for violations of the Lacey Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, Endangered Species Act, CITES, or other laws relating to migratory birds, or other protected wildlife. 

  1. LRBOI Members may submit an Application for Permit to Possess Migratory Birds to the Natural Resources Department.
  2. The NRD will determine if there is sufficient supply in the Repository to satisfy the request. Applications will be given preference based on the order in which they were received.
  3. The NRD will then submit the application for the approval of the Tribal Ogema.
  4. Once the signed permit is returned from the Tribal Ogema, then the NRD will coordinate with the applicant on how to receive the requested birds or parts.
  5. Process must be repeated for each subsequent order, and a copy of the permit must stay with any birds, wings, feathers, parts, eggs, or nests included in the order. 

Allowed activities under a LRBOI Permit to Possess Migratory Birds

  1. Possess and transport migratory birds, parts, feathers, nests, and or eggs obtained from the Repository within North America.
  2. Hand down migratory birds, parts, feathers, nests, and/or eggs from generation to generation.
  3. Gift  migratory birds, parts, feathers, nests, and/or eggs to a member of another federally recognized Tribe, who would otherwise qualify for an LRBOI permit. 

It is illegal under this permit to

  1. Import, export, purchase, sell, or offer to purchase or sell any migratory birds, parts, feathers, nests, and/or eggs.
  2. Make or attempt to make an action to take, harass, pursue, shoot, shoot at, poison, wound, kill, capture, trap, molest, disturb any migratory birds, nests, and/or eggs.

Contents of repository change frequently, and there is no guarantee that every request can be filled. Though, the following species either are or have been available in the past from the Repository. 

  • Bald eagles
  • Hawks (red-tailed, red-shouldered)
  • Falcons (merlin, kestrel)
  • Sandhill cranes
  • Common loons
  • Swans
  • Owls (snowy, great-horned, screech)

In many cases, only feathers or parts of a bird are available.

The LRBOI Repository contains mostly birds found in the Manistee area, and birds are only distributed to LRBOI Members. 

The National Eagle Repository in Colorado is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and is open to enrolled Members of any federally-recognized Tribe in the United States. Due to the number of requests, the National Eagle Repository often has longer wait times than the LRBOI repository, but Members are able to obtain birds like golden eagles, which are less common to Michigan and are unlikely to be in the repository. 

More information can be found here:

https://www.fws.gov/program/national-eagle-repository/what-we-do 

USFWS permit applications must be submitted by the Tribal Member, but the Natural Resources Department is available to answer questions about the application. 

Contact

LRBOI Natural Resources Department

231-723-1594

NaturalResources@lrboi-nsn.gov

Mailing Address: 2608 Government Center Drive, Manistee, MI 49660

Office Location: 310 9th Street, Manistee, MI 49660