Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA)

Position Statement of the American Federation of Aviculture:
Concerning U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Proposed Revised List for
Migratory Birds, 50 CFR Part 10 RIN 1018-AB72:

AFA OPPOSES the listing of the Eurasian Siskin (Carduelis spinus) and the Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) as unnecessary, over-burdensome and not meeting the criteria for listing under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

AFA FINDS that neither the Eurasian Siskin (Carduelis spinus) nor the Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) is a species native to the United States.

AFA FINDS that neither the Eurasian Siskin (Carduelis spinus) nor the Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) migrates to, from or within the United States.

AFA FINDS that neither the Eurasian Siskin (Carduelis spinus) nor the Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) is threatened nor endangered and both are abundant in their native habitats.

AFA FINDS that free-flying Eurasian Siskins (Carduelis spinus) and Common Chaffinchs (Fringilla coelebs) in the U.S. are accidental in nature due to rare and inadvertent releases of captive-bred birds.

AFA FINDS that the Eurasian Siskin (Carduelis spinus) and the Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) are commonly kept and exhibited species within U.S. aviculture and the captive population numbers in the tens of thousands.

AFA RECOGNIZES that breeders and exhibitors of these species will be unduly financially burdened if these species are listed under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

AFA RECOGNIZES that listing these species under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act will result in financial detriment to importers and other avian industry interests.

AFA RECOGNIZES that regulation of these species will be unduly burdensome for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The high number of captive specimens will require a large expenditure of funds and labor for unnecessary regulation of non-native, non-migratory, non-endangered species.