When confronted, Parker claimed he was culling raptors to prevent them from killing off local game birds such as water fowl. Kyle Kroll, the local fish and game warden, told The Guardian he feared the true death toll was much higher. He launched what wildlife inspectors refer to as a Code Five surveillance plan - spending days at a neighboring property observing the Parker property with a high-powered scope. Among the dead birds of prey were red-tailed hawks, above, an owl and an rare migratory ferruginous hawk. The area surrounding his home - Honey Lake Valley - is nestled between desert and mountains, creating a unique ecosystem that attracts thousands of protected birds of prey.

Source: Daily Mail May 02, 2021 23:35 UTC