Congress Aims to Remove Crow Protections to Save Sage Grouse

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Lawmakers hope to prevent sage grouse from landing on the Endangered Species List by taking aim at a notorious egg-snatcher.

The Senate Natural Resources Committee is holding a meeting Tuesday to discuss AJR2, which would urge Congress to remove protections for the common raven. The resolution notes that ravens steal the eggs of desert tortoises and sage grouse, but enjoy protections under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.

The measure asks the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to work with Nevada on reducing the raven population. Spokesman Chris Healy of the Nevada Department of Wildlife says his agency has killed ravens with federal permission, but says extermination is just one component of helping the sage grouse and says it's important to maintain a healthy habitat for the bird.