Swallows caught and dead in the nets under the highway 101 bridge over the Petaluma River in Petaluma on Thursday April 11, 2013. (Scott Manchester/The Press Democrat)

Letter of the Day: Trapped birds

Trapped birds

EDITOR: The miracle of the swallows coming back to San Juan Capiststrano is celebrated in song, but the return of the swallows to Petaluma is a grisly event as the swallows are being trapped and killed as I type this ("Construction net snares birds," Friday).

These beautiful birds, which benefit humanity by eating mosquitoes and delight us with their beauty, graceful flight and wonderful mud nests, heroically fly thousands of miles from their wintering grounds only to be trapped and killed in netting placed on the Petaluma River Bridge at Highway 101 and Petaluma Boulevard South.

There actually is a law to protect the birds, but corrective action has been slow.

The netting must come down, and our regulatory agencies must enforce the Migratory Bird treaty Act, which protects these birds. Please take action now by visiting nativesongbirdcare.org and adding your voice to the chorus calling for the protection of these treasured birds.

MONICA SCHWALBENBERG-PE?

Santa Rosa

UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy:
  • This is a family newspaper, please use a kind and respectful tone.
  • No profanity, hate speech or personal attacks. No off-topic remarks.
  • No disinformation about current events.
  • We will remove any comments — or commenters — that do not follow this commenting policy.
Send a letter to the editor