is that true? If so, isn’t it illegal to sell these? Or at least against the etsy “ToS”? There was quite the pile of bunched panties on the forum at one point over someone selling endangered eagle feathers…
Yeah, but they’re just taking the jobs that Americans don’t want, like sitting on electrical wires, sitting under highway overpasses, shitting on everything, etc.
I shit on highways from electrical wires for a living, and it is a very specialized niche market! I don’t appreciate having my job taken by a sparrow who is willing to do it for free!
They are not protected in the US. Here they are an invasive species, and you can destroy/kill as many as you like. (House sparrows and starlings are aggressive cavity nesters. They will out compete and kill birds like the Eastern Bluebird and Prothonotary Warbler.) Crows and grackles are on the other hand protected.
I kill a handful of european house sparrows myself every year. Instead of just dumping their corpses in the field behind my house, I guess I should have saved their parts for crafting. Up next, what to do about all the stray / feral cats I also shoot.
I’m a bluebirder – so, apparently controlling pests in my yard that destroy or kill an actual native species would make me an asshole. Go ahead and feel self righteous the next time you take a book to a daddy long legs, cat people.
Feral cats are one thing, although feral cat populations are notoriously stable so I wouldn’t harbor any hope that you’re making progress there. But stray cats are pets. Please don’t kill them. Get a humane trap and turn them over to a rescue where they stand a chance of being reunited with their owners or adopted into a loving home.
Wow, could you get any more ignorant about feral cats? Probably. Plus, you’re going to defend your actions no matter what…
Personally I don’t kill any living creature, native or otherwise, I catch and release spiders, beetles and all the other critters that wander into my house.
Oh and just because, feral cats don’t kill nearly as many birds as disease does, at least here in California.
Dumbass and dipshit are really the only 2 words that come to mind when feral cats are discussed.
If you cannot be bothered to chase down your cat after it walks away from your house, it’s not my duty to waste my money or my time doing it for you. Grow the fuck up and keep tabs on your pets.
Better yet, get educated and only feed the native species when it comes to birds. They’re a lot more desirable than cats. Don’t buy that shit with millet in it, those fucking European house sparrows love that shit about as much as they love destroying the nests of native birds. So, ditch your cat and go take care of some birds, they have way more personality.
Not your duty? I don’t know where you live, but I’m pretty sure killing other people’s pets is illegal in most states. And animal control will give you a humane cat trap for free, so that excuse doesn’t wash, either.
I don’t know why you think treating animals humanely is such a big goddamn chore that you can’t be bothered. I’m able to go about my day on a regular basis without shooting any living creatures. It’s damn near effortless.
“If you cannot be bothered to chase down your cat after it walks away from your house, it’s not my duty to waste my money or my time doing it for you.”
…you’ve never actually tried to “chase down” a cat before, have you. Notice this is not a question; it is a statement.
It’s easier just to wait until they’re hungry and lure them back in with food. I know this, because I have owned many a cat.
Please stop shooting them. Seriously, some of them are bound to be escapees who’ve done nothing more than get curious about the outdoors. By all means scare them off if you want, but seriously, stop killing them.
In the UK, they are. Or at least were, I haven’t checked on it recently. When we lived in England, we had lots of them in our garden. But we lived in the middle of nowhere. We found them delightful and were greatly entertained by them. We also had a lot of other bird species in our garden and they never seemed to be chased away by the House Sparrows.
These sparrows are no more, they have ceased to be. they’ve expired and gone to meet their maker! They are stiff! Bereft of life, They rest in peace! If you hadn’t nailed them to the perch they’d be pushing up the daisies! their metabolic processes are now history! they’re off the twig! They’ve kicked the bucket, they have shuffled off ‘is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin’ choir invisibile!! THIS IS AN EX-Sparrow!!
Same here. But then, my cat does like to leave the legs, beaks, and feathers in a nice neat pile on the carpet so I’d say the cat theory is plausible. They probably list the beaks and feathers separately.
Reading the blurb that goes with it just makes it worse..
there’s a fine line in believing that no part of an animal should be wasted, and a really creepy craft cupboard that one day will be featured on some cop show looking into serial murderers.
The scenario involved 33 dead birds, a crazy cat lady, an even crazier starving neighbor who was raised by wolves, one hoarder, an umbrella, and a rampaging hippopotamus.
I’ve thought about it (and had some beer), and the answer is clear now: Sparrow Poker.
Let’s say you open with 1 sparrow leg. If you have an odd number of players, and someone “ups the ante”, you then could end up with an odd number of sparrow legs if you win at some point.
I’m picturing this game being played in a rural locale, like Scrotum, Arkansas or someplace similar.
Here’s the thing. I can see how you could end up with a dead animal and go “ooh, potential off-beat craft!” I occasionally save butterfly wings and stuff when I find them. But I’m really creeped out that this person managed to collect a whole twelve unmatched bird feet. Euuuuugh.
Maybe the lil’ legs were the leftover parts from an experiment that turned some ordinary sparrows into super-robo-sparrows, capable of amazing feats regular birds only dream of. Like they could sit on things and shit on things at super speed.
Coming to an Etsy shop near you…bird foot headdress. You can paint the tiny talons to match your outfit. Add tiny watch gears to each one and call it steampunk.
I actually know quite a few people who use dead bird legs for metal-casting, creating really badass looking metal claw pendants and the like. Although they do have their uses, I gotta admit seeing a whole huge pile of salt preserved sparrow feet jerky does look kind of fucked up. It’s like behind the scenes at a “Chinese restaurant” in a strip mall by the Walmart.
Thanks alot CinderellaPop, now I’ll never be able to eat at Poo Ping Palace again (and yes, this is really the name of the place~many potty jokes have been made).
It might be found in pellets spat out by an owl. If it was a steampunk owl and people turn these legs into steampunk craft, we get double-meta-steampunkfuckery.
Just the tiniest bit more work on the composition of the photo would have made the difference between “Here are some bird legs I’ve carefully preserved for your artistic needs.” and “Whoops, the ferret got into the bird cage.”
“Some cowered in fear, some assumed attack poses, while others simply tried to run. The result is a smorgasbord of dramatically artistic sparrow leg poses. I really hope you enjoy this unbelievably creepy offering.”
I reeeeeeeeally don’t want to think about why a bird would try to run, and not fly. Of course, the OCD is gonna kick in and make the not only think about it, but obsess on it.
Times like these, I wish I knew how to paint. I mean with brushes.
This is where I mention that, although I certainly don’t think it should be: possession of any part of a sparrow is a violation of the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, at one violation per bird, a crime worth up to 6 months in prison per violation.
Since the feet are unmatched, this listing could be worth six years in federal prison.
If you are in the US, you can trap and dispose of house sparrows with impunity – they are not protected by law, as they are introduced exotic species that have been wreaking havoc on our ecosystem. They are largely responsible for the decline in bluebird and purple martin numbers over the past decades.
There is no hunting season – hunters are actively encouraged to kill them all year round. They are also edible and apparently tasty.
Don’t forget that habitat destruction, domestic cats, and collisions with buildings are larger factors in bird mortality. Bluebird populations have recovered significantly, but cats still kill 500 million bird species per year. Lots of people love to hate house sparrows, but they’re still living things that have inherent rights, if not legal rights.
If she was in the US. But she also has red squirrel parts in her store, which are found in the UK. And while sparrows are found all over the world, she very clearly says English sparrows. I have looked, but I can’t see that sparrows migrate across the ocean.
I also can’t see that it is illegal to buy or own sparrow parts, though it is illegal to kill them. So I am not sure if she is breaking the law.
American Red Squirrels are found mainly in North America, also they’re annoying little things. I used to think they were cuter smaller versions of the “regular” black and grey squirrels. But apparently as soon as you leave the city you find out they’re waaaay more destructive.
Oh, so they are. But I think my other point might stand. I suppose she is most likely American, but the distinction “English” is odd since sparrows are found naturally across Europe and Asia.
“English sparrow” is the US name for the particular species called “house sparrow” in the UK. It doesn’t mean these individual birds necessarily came from England.
You have to ask your self, ‘Do you really want biscuits and mashed potatoes made by this person?” I am going to hazard a guess and say the answer is no.
Why aren’t the legs in matched pairs? Did she decide it was more humane to only tear one leg off per sparrow? Does she keep the lefties for her private collection? My mind is reeling.
I hate lazy sellers. They really cast a pall on the quality sellers of Etsy, the ones who proudly sell nothing less than matched sparrow legs from the same sparrow.
I, for one, am indignant that I am being told that I AM BUYING 12 BIRD LEGS. And not only am I buying 12 bird legs, I am buying 12 MISMATCHED bird legs.
Seriously, if the seller is going to tell me what I am going to buy from them, at least make the demand a little more attractive by MATCHING THE DAMNED BIRD LEGS UP. And maybe festoon each pair with pretty ribbons and photograph them on barnwood.
I’m all for using dead things for art or whatever, being one of those creepy skull-collecting types. But disembodied bird feet are just really, really freaky looking. Particularly when they look at all like this.
I’ve seen this before! The seller, Sarina, is a taxidermist, and these are professionally preserved. Don’t worry; she doesn’t kill anything for her work. She also doesn’t like to waste any part of the animal, out of respect.
September 18, 2012 at 1:33 pm
Oh for the love of crap…
September 18, 2012 at 4:42 pm
Yes. People do love crap. That is why Etsy is the internets fanciest garage sale.
September 18, 2012 at 4:44 pm
Yes. People do love crap. Which is why Etsy is the internet’s largest garage sale.
September 18, 2012 at 9:24 pm
for jewellery?
September 18, 2012 at 1:34 pm
I am very afraid as to why this person even has these???
I mean, you’ve posted some lunatics in your time with us here, April, but wow…
September 18, 2012 at 1:36 pm
Having that big bay window finally pays off?
September 18, 2012 at 1:40 pm
You just have to be faster than the cats. *thump*+speed=$
September 18, 2012 at 1:41 pm
but that still leaves the actual process of removing the legs…
September 18, 2012 at 2:04 pm
OK, be there slightly after the cats.
September 18, 2012 at 7:02 pm
Think of what he’s saving on wild bird feed now!
September 18, 2012 at 1:39 pm
Especially as House Sparrows are protected in the UK.
September 18, 2012 at 1:52 pm
is that true? If so, isn’t it illegal to sell these? Or at least against the etsy “ToS”? There was quite the pile of bunched panties on the forum at one point over someone selling endangered eagle feathers…
September 18, 2012 at 2:08 pm
The seller’s in the US where English Sparrows are IMMIGRANTS who’re TAEKIN’ AR JEHBS!! If our jobs are being native birds.
September 18, 2012 at 2:17 pm
Yeah, but they’re just taking the jobs that Americans don’t want, like sitting on electrical wires, sitting under highway overpasses, shitting on everything, etc.
September 18, 2012 at 3:03 pm
You mean, there are jobs where you can get paid to shit on stuff? Damn, I’m in the wrong business.
September 18, 2012 at 3:11 pm
What, you’ve forgotten the butt painter already? Not only does he have a job, he makes ART!
September 20, 2012 at 11:36 pm
These are English sparrows, mate. That’s “shite.”
September 18, 2012 at 4:46 pm
I shit on highways from electrical wires for a living, and it is a very specialized niche market! I don’t appreciate having my job taken by a sparrow who is willing to do it for free!
September 20, 2012 at 11:35 pm
Especially by a sparrow with a stuck-up, snooty English accent. I hate that.
September 18, 2012 at 2:20 pm
When they immigrated, did they carry coconuts with them?
September 18, 2012 at 4:02 pm
I just keep seeing “who’re” as a different word… lol
September 18, 2012 at 4:08 pm
Soplame – Those were swallows (the birds not what your throat does with stuff).
September 18, 2012 at 7:21 pm
African or European?
September 18, 2012 at 2:02 pm
If sparrow legs are outlawed, only outlaws will have sparrow legs.
September 18, 2012 at 2:04 pm
You can have my sparrow legs when you pry them from my cold, dead sparrows.
September 18, 2012 at 2:05 pm
Sparrow legs don’t kill people, people showing pictures of disgusting sparrow legs to people kill people.
September 18, 2012 at 2:45 pm
A free sparrow ought to be legged.
September 18, 2012 at 3:00 pm
They are not protected in the US. Here they are an invasive species, and you can destroy/kill as many as you like. (House sparrows and starlings are aggressive cavity nesters. They will out compete and kill birds like the Eastern Bluebird and Prothonotary Warbler.) Crows and grackles are on the other hand protected.
September 18, 2012 at 5:01 pm
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September 18, 2012 at 5:31 pm
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September 18, 2012 at 8:25 pm
Feral cats are one thing, although feral cat populations are notoriously stable so I wouldn’t harbor any hope that you’re making progress there. But stray cats are pets. Please don’t kill them. Get a humane trap and turn them over to a rescue where they stand a chance of being reunited with their owners or adopted into a loving home.
Not a judgment so much as a plea for kindness.
September 18, 2012 at 9:44 pm
Wow, could you get any more ignorant about feral cats? Probably. Plus, you’re going to defend your actions no matter what…
Personally I don’t kill any living creature, native or otherwise, I catch and release spiders, beetles and all the other critters that wander into my house.
Oh and just because, feral cats don’t kill nearly as many birds as disease does, at least here in California.
September 18, 2012 at 10:13 pm
Do you brush your teeth? Cause you’re like, killing organisms.
Fucking hippies.
September 18, 2012 at 11:00 pm
Cats kill far more birds than disease does. Not necessarily feral cats only, though. Domestic cats as well.
Most birds don’t live anywhere near long enough to get diseases.
September 19, 2012 at 2:25 am
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September 19, 2012 at 5:32 am
Not your duty? I don’t know where you live, but I’m pretty sure killing other people’s pets is illegal in most states. And animal control will give you a humane cat trap for free, so that excuse doesn’t wash, either.
I don’t know why you think treating animals humanely is such a big goddamn chore that you can’t be bothered. I’m able to go about my day on a regular basis without shooting any living creatures. It’s damn near effortless.
September 20, 2012 at 7:59 pm
“If you cannot be bothered to chase down your cat after it walks away from your house, it’s not my duty to waste my money or my time doing it for you.”
…you’ve never actually tried to “chase down” a cat before, have you. Notice this is not a question; it is a statement.
It’s easier just to wait until they’re hungry and lure them back in with food. I know this, because I have owned many a cat.
Please stop shooting them. Seriously, some of them are bound to be escapees who’ve done nothing more than get curious about the outdoors. By all means scare them off if you want, but seriously, stop killing them.
September 18, 2012 at 4:14 pm
Are they that rare? Here they just a tad above pigeons and those damn starlings.
September 18, 2012 at 4:24 pm
Actually, recent evidence shows house sparrow populations are declining in North America.
September 18, 2012 at 11:55 pm
Let’s blame the starlings – hate those things.
September 19, 2012 at 8:48 am
In the UK, they are. Or at least were, I haven’t checked on it recently. When we lived in England, we had lots of them in our garden. But we lived in the middle of nowhere. We found them delightful and were greatly entertained by them. We also had a lot of other bird species in our garden and they never seemed to be chased away by the House Sparrows.
September 18, 2012 at 1:53 pm
I’m going with “generous cat who eats the rest.”
Because anything else creeps me out.
September 18, 2012 at 2:13 pm
These sparrows are no more, they have ceased to be. they’ve expired and gone to meet their maker! They are stiff! Bereft of life, They rest in peace! If you hadn’t nailed them to the perch they’d be pushing up the daisies! their metabolic processes are now history! they’re off the twig! They’ve kicked the bucket, they have shuffled off ‘is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin’ choir invisibile!! THIS IS AN EX-Sparrow!!
September 18, 2012 at 4:48 pm
I am waiting for the half fish myself. Oh and your mother smelt of elderberries.
September 18, 2012 at 3:10 pm
Same here. But then, my cat does like to leave the legs, beaks, and feathers in a nice neat pile on the carpet so I’d say the cat theory is plausible. They probably list the beaks and feathers separately.
September 18, 2012 at 3:27 pm
Makes me wonder what they did with the rest of the carcasses. I mean, they don’t have much meat on them.
September 18, 2012 at 1:34 pm
This looks like something that would be featured on Bizarre Foods.
September 18, 2012 at 1:58 pm
And if they’re salt cured, we can eat them, right?
September 18, 2012 at 1:35 pm
I think this guy needs those feet…
September 18, 2012 at 1:40 pm
But then wherever will he find shoes that fit?
September 18, 2012 at 2:49 pm
Is this ill eagle?
September 18, 2012 at 4:50 pm
HOLY. SHIT. Is this for real??? I love the guy’s face! It’s like he’s saying “Only a real man can wear a wolf-turkey hat, muthafucka!”
September 18, 2012 at 7:00 pm
*AHEM*
http://www.regretsy.com/2012/09/18/still-more-women-with-stupid-shit-on-their-heads/
September 19, 2012 at 7:48 am
whoops! i saw that post immediately after i wrote this. now i feel dumb.
September 18, 2012 at 7:06 pm
That guy looks stoned out of his mind! Now I know how to get others to model for me! One word: Ruffies!
September 19, 2012 at 5:45 am
Here we are! You’re right; the legs are a big improvement.
September 18, 2012 at 1:36 pm
This is the kind of … Astonishingly awful.
(If I were to take an English name could be Peter Astonishing-More)
September 18, 2012 at 1:36 pm
Woo-hoo! I am so going to win the talon show now!
September 18, 2012 at 1:59 pm
Beak-areful, Zippy. You’re over egg-cited. You’re not cock-of-the-walk yet.
September 18, 2012 at 2:01 pm
Before you go any feather I’ll have you know I’m not to be flocked with. Who’s nest?
September 18, 2012 at 2:51 pm
Oh no you’re not going to worm your way into the top spot!
September 18, 2012 at 4:53 pm
Dont peck on me or I ‘ll have to bill you.
September 18, 2012 at 5:17 pm
Nobody’s robin me! I’ve quilled for less!
September 18, 2012 at 4:23 pm
I cannot believe that someone is hawking this stuff. And I finch to imagine that there is someone out there gull-ible enough to buy it.
September 18, 2012 at 1:37 pm
These feet fail now.
September 18, 2012 at 1:37 pm
Reading the blurb that goes with it just makes it worse..
there’s a fine line in believing that no part of an animal should be wasted, and a really creepy craft cupboard that one day will be featured on some cop show looking into serial murderers.
September 18, 2012 at 1:38 pm
So many dead birds to cry for.
September 18, 2012 at 2:22 pm
*single glitter tear*
I know, I know, I’m mixing my butthurt metaphors but can you really blame me?
September 18, 2012 at 2:57 pm
Do they offer a couple dozen thumbs in another listing? Because I’m gonna need those now.
September 18, 2012 at 1:39 pm
not in matched pairs? well what’s the friggin’ point if i can’t produce an anatomically correct Franken-bird?
September 18, 2012 at 1:40 pm
Or an army of them.
September 18, 2012 at 1:44 pm
Or Avian-Centipede
September 18, 2012 at 2:22 pm
Wouldn’t you also need a bunch of beaks and buttholes to do that correctly?
September 18, 2012 at 2:59 pm
You also need those to run an English courtroom, I’ve heard.
September 18, 2012 at 4:59 pm
Wasn’t “Beaks n’ Buttholes” an old courtroom comedy show?
September 18, 2012 at 5:22 pm
I think Dame Judy Finch was in that.
September 18, 2012 at 5:28 pm
I think Robin Williams was in it, too.
September 18, 2012 at 10:06 pm
Don’t forget Dame Magpie Smith plus those great guest appearances by Jay Leno and a young Russel Crow.
September 18, 2012 at 10:18 pm
It was pretty much one of the greatest coops of broadcasting history.
September 18, 2012 at 1:50 pm
What series of events results in someone being in possession of 12 bird legs, 7 right and 5 left?
September 18, 2012 at 4:27 pm
Oh, that’s easy.
The scenario involved 33 dead birds, a crazy cat lady, an even crazier starving neighbor who was raised by wolves, one hoarder, an umbrella, and a rampaging hippopotamus.
The rest should be easy to sort out.
September 18, 2012 at 4:56 pm
I’ve thought about it (and had some beer), and the answer is clear now: Sparrow Poker.
Let’s say you open with 1 sparrow leg. If you have an odd number of players, and someone “ups the ante”, you then could end up with an odd number of sparrow legs if you win at some point.
I’m picturing this game being played in a rural locale, like Scrotum, Arkansas or someplace similar.
September 18, 2012 at 5:30 pm
You gotta know when to hold a bird in the hand and when to fold 2 birds in the kitty.
September 18, 2012 at 5:32 pm
Sparrow poker is where the common term “I’m all legs in” comes from.
September 18, 2012 at 5:33 pm
Also, “I’ve gotta claw my way outta this”.
September 18, 2012 at 7:11 pm
Before you get your eyes pecked out! (cock jokes, pecker jokes, this is going well)!
September 18, 2012 at 8:52 pm
You gotta know when to run away and not walk. Like when you’re in Scrotum, Arkansas, for example.
September 19, 2012 at 12:05 am
A couple of cats and lots of nests near a nuclear plant?
September 19, 2012 at 6:29 am
Bird that good, you can’t eat it all at once.
September 18, 2012 at 1:40 pm
Here’s the thing. I can see how you could end up with a dead animal and go “ooh, potential off-beat craft!” I occasionally save butterfly wings and stuff when I find them. But I’m really creeped out that this person managed to collect a whole twelve unmatched bird feet. Euuuuugh.
September 18, 2012 at 1:42 pm
So when I clicked on the facebook link, I was like “please don’t be something dead, please don’t be something dead.” My pleas weren’t answered.
September 18, 2012 at 1:43 pm
Finally. I have been looking for these FOREVER!
September 18, 2012 at 2:24 pm
What are your plans? Are lederhosen involved?
September 18, 2012 at 1:43 pm
All I can think of is 12 sparrows in tiny wheelchairs, somewhere in England, plotting revenge.
September 18, 2012 at 1:56 pm
I was wondering what the seller did with the rest of the dead birds. I now feel much better, being able to believe the birds are actually still alive.
Or maybe I don’t.
September 18, 2012 at 3:01 pm
Stephen Hawking is going to love this!
September 18, 2012 at 4:56 pm
I picture little birds on those little wheeled platforms like Eddie Murphy had in Trading Places. A whole bunch of them.
September 18, 2012 at 5:40 pm
Maybe the lil’ legs were the leftover parts from an experiment that turned some ordinary sparrows into super-robo-sparrows, capable of amazing feats regular birds only dream of. Like they could sit on things and shit on things at super speed.
September 19, 2012 at 12:06 am
A modern remake of “The Birds?”
September 18, 2012 at 1:44 pm
Coming to an Etsy shop near you…bird foot headdress. You can paint the tiny talons to match your outfit. Add tiny watch gears to each one and call it steampunk.
September 18, 2012 at 1:46 pm
I actually know quite a few people who use dead bird legs for metal-casting, creating really badass looking metal claw pendants and the like. Although they do have their uses, I gotta admit seeing a whole huge pile of salt preserved sparrow feet jerky does look kind of fucked up. It’s like behind the scenes at a “Chinese restaurant” in a strip mall by the Walmart.
September 18, 2012 at 3:00 pm
Thanks alot CinderellaPop, now I’ll never be able to eat at Poo Ping Palace again (and yes, this is really the name of the place~many potty jokes have been made).
September 20, 2012 at 3:29 pm
There’s a Phu King Vietnamese restaurant near my house. I don’t know how the staff can get through the day.
September 18, 2012 at 1:46 pm
Why sell it? We don’t want it. Even the vultures crap this stuff out.
Oh man…is this vulture shit?
September 19, 2012 at 10:04 am
It might be found in pellets spat out by an owl. If it was a steampunk owl and people turn these legs into steampunk craft, we get double-meta-steampunkfuckery.
September 18, 2012 at 1:49 pm
“You are purchasing 12 English house sparrow legs.”
No, I’m not.
Not now, not later, pretty much never am I doing that.
September 18, 2012 at 1:50 pm
But are they voodoo quality? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to cast a spell with some overpriced crap from the Popeye’s dumpster..
September 18, 2012 at 1:55 pm
If you have to pay anything for stuff in a dumpster it seems overpriced. Eliminate the middle man!
September 18, 2012 at 2:21 pm
You can’t practice voodoo with regular Popeye’s, but you can with extra-spicy. That might’ve been your mistake.
September 18, 2012 at 3:03 pm
Also good for performing doo-doo.
September 18, 2012 at 4:46 pm
Highbrow. I like it.
September 18, 2012 at 1:53 pm
Just the tiniest bit more work on the composition of the photo would have made the difference between “Here are some bird legs I’ve carefully preserved for your artistic needs.” and “Whoops, the ferret got into the bird cage.”
September 18, 2012 at 2:02 pm
There’s such a fine line between “art supplies” and “decomposing body parts”, you know?
September 18, 2012 at 2:59 pm
Barn wood. It fixes everything.
September 18, 2012 at 3:06 pm
That would be a nice backdrop. Or Kristen Stewart.
September 20, 2012 at 3:30 pm
Wait, there’s a difference?
September 18, 2012 at 1:53 pm
“Position of the feet varies, as I really ‘mixed it up’ stylistically while murdering these creatures.”
September 18, 2012 at 5:16 pm
“Some cowered in fear, some assumed attack poses, while others simply tried to run. The result is a smorgasbord of dramatically artistic sparrow leg poses. I really hope you enjoy this unbelievably creepy offering.”
September 18, 2012 at 5:33 pm
God, please kill ‘em all and let me sort ‘em out. Amen.
September 18, 2012 at 6:57 pm
I reeeeeeeeally don’t want to think about why a bird would try to run, and not fly. Of course, the OCD is gonna kick in and make the not only think about it, but obsess on it.
Times like these, I wish I knew how to paint. I mean with brushes.
September 18, 2012 at 1:55 pm
They look like someone just sort of… RIPPED THEM RIGHT THE FUCK OFF OF SOME POOR, UNSUSPECTING BIRD(s).
September 18, 2012 at 2:02 pm
I’m thinking that earrings made from house sparrows in advanced stages of rigor mortis would be the ideal accessory for my dalmation puppy fur coat.
Must. Have.
September 18, 2012 at 2:14 pm
See my vest, see my vest
Made from real gorilla chest…
- Monty Burns
September 18, 2012 at 7:13 pm
Musty aroma included?
September 18, 2012 at 2:08 pm
Somehwere a bunch of really drunk college kids are finally gonna have some answers reguarding a birds ability to carry a coconut…
September 18, 2012 at 2:18 pm
What the fuck kind of biscuits do you get with an order like that, anyway?
And what soda do you get? Would baked beans be better than mashed potatoes?
September 18, 2012 at 2:24 pm
I’m thinking mashed potatoes. Something soft to make the claws go down more easily.
*urp*
No, no dessert for me, thanks.
September 18, 2012 at 2:19 pm
Somewhere a bunch of really drunk college kids are finally gonna have some answers regarding a birds ability to carry a coconut…
September 18, 2012 at 2:45 pm
I feel like I should be singing about itty bitty birdy feet right about now.
September 18, 2012 at 2:49 pm
This is where I mention that, although I certainly don’t think it should be: possession of any part of a sparrow is a violation of the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, at one violation per bird, a crime worth up to 6 months in prison per violation.
Since the feet are unmatched, this listing could be worth six years in federal prison.
September 18, 2012 at 3:29 pm
Nope, sorry.
If you are in the US, you can trap and dispose of house sparrows with impunity – they are not protected by law, as they are introduced exotic species that have been wreaking havoc on our ecosystem. They are largely responsible for the decline in bluebird and purple martin numbers over the past decades.
There is no hunting season – hunters are actively encouraged to kill them all year round. They are also edible and apparently tasty.
September 18, 2012 at 3:57 pm
You’re right. According to http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/about/faqs/birds/feathers.htm the house sparrow is exempt. So if these are indeed house sparrow legs, yes, the seller is safe. Totally my bad on that one.
Other breeds of sparrow are not exempt, however (unless they are non-migratory).
September 18, 2012 at 4:06 pm
Yeah, well… the seller may be within his rights to legally sell sparrow legs, but that doesn’t make it any less creepy.
Who am I to judge though? Half the shit in my etsy store is kinda creepy.
September 18, 2012 at 4:37 pm
Don’t forget that habitat destruction, domestic cats, and collisions with buildings are larger factors in bird mortality. Bluebird populations have recovered significantly, but cats still kill 500 million bird species per year. Lots of people love to hate house sparrows, but they’re still living things that have inherent rights, if not legal rights.
September 18, 2012 at 5:02 pm
If she was in the US. But she also has red squirrel parts in her store, which are found in the UK. And while sparrows are found all over the world, she very clearly says English sparrows. I have looked, but I can’t see that sparrows migrate across the ocean.
I also can’t see that it is illegal to buy or own sparrow parts, though it is illegal to kill them. So I am not sure if she is breaking the law.
September 18, 2012 at 8:40 pm
American Red Squirrels are found mainly in North America, also they’re annoying little things. I used to think they were cuter smaller versions of the “regular” black and grey squirrels. But apparently as soon as you leave the city you find out they’re waaaay more destructive.
September 19, 2012 at 2:43 am
Oh, so they are. But I think my other point might stand. I suppose she is most likely American, but the distinction “English” is odd since sparrows are found naturally across Europe and Asia.
September 19, 2012 at 5:15 am
“English sparrow” is the US name for the particular species called “house sparrow” in the UK. It doesn’t mean these individual birds necessarily came from England.
September 18, 2012 at 2:54 pm
You have to ask your self, ‘Do you really want biscuits and mashed potatoes made by this person?” I am going to hazard a guess and say the answer is no.
September 18, 2012 at 2:58 pm
I was WONDERING when you were gonna do a Phyllis Diller tragicrafting episode…
September 18, 2012 at 5:26 pm
The wigs, the cigarette holders, the bling!
September 18, 2012 at 3:06 pm
Why aren’t the legs in matched pairs? Did she decide it was more humane to only tear one leg off per sparrow? Does she keep the lefties for her private collection? My mind is reeling.
September 18, 2012 at 4:19 pm
She probably has several dozen and can’t be bothered to sort them.
September 18, 2012 at 7:02 pm
I hate lazy sellers. They really cast a pall on the quality sellers of Etsy, the ones who proudly sell nothing less than matched sparrow legs from the same sparrow.
September 18, 2012 at 3:10 pm
Is this steampunk?
September 18, 2012 at 4:03 pm
This is fowl.
September 18, 2012 at 4:27 pm
And seedy.
September 18, 2012 at 5:44 pm
What in the shell were they thinking?
September 18, 2012 at 11:59 pm
Must be birdbrains.
September 19, 2012 at 2:02 am
It’s really got my feathers in a ruffle.
September 18, 2012 at 5:25 pm
“Crochet Guevara”? Did I miss a new member of the Regretsy family?
September 18, 2012 at 5:42 pm
You will be hearing more from him soon!
September 18, 2012 at 5:47 pm
His yarns are so liberating!
September 18, 2012 at 5:47 pm
I didn’t realize that’s a dude.
September 18, 2012 at 5:49 pm
You always pop in at odd intervals, April.
September 18, 2012 at 5:52 pm
This is but one of many pies she has her fingers in. That sounds naughty and tasty!
September 18, 2012 at 5:54 pm
I’m the same way, only there’s no pie and no fingers. Well, I guess I’m not the same way.
September 18, 2012 at 5:49 pm
He’s got “Chet” right there in his name!
September 18, 2012 at 5:52 pm
I’m slow, Zippy. I’ve got a room temperature IQ, so it’s a miracle I’ve made it this far.
September 18, 2012 at 6:51 pm
I just have to wonder how this person might have gotten hold of these legs.
With meat still attached to the top of them.
September 18, 2012 at 6:52 pm
I’m going to need a new keyboard soon…unless I can pry these keys out of my forehead without damaging them.
September 18, 2012 at 9:36 pm
This is like the Muffin Stumps on Seinfeld. Where is the rest?
September 18, 2012 at 10:49 pm
I, for one, am indignant that I am being told that I AM BUYING 12 BIRD LEGS. And not only am I buying 12 bird legs, I am buying 12 MISMATCHED bird legs.
Seriously, if the seller is going to tell me what I am going to buy from them, at least make the demand a little more attractive by MATCHING THE DAMNED BIRD LEGS UP. And maybe festoon each pair with pretty ribbons and photograph them on barnwood.
Sheesh.
September 19, 2012 at 2:03 am
I’m all for using dead things for art or whatever, being one of those creepy skull-collecting types. But disembodied bird feet are just really, really freaky looking. Particularly when they look at all like this.
September 19, 2012 at 5:26 am
*sobs* Finally…finally I can fulfill my dream of an all-sparrow leg tribute to the Rockettes!
September 19, 2012 at 8:10 am
This reminds me of the abstract art pieces my cat used to display on our front lawn.
Thankfully he’s recently started applying his gift to the canvas. – http://www.missmoss.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/why-cats-paint.jpg
September 19, 2012 at 10:10 am
I think I’ve got an answer to that “Why do cats paint?” question: to wipe the paint off their paws. Hope that stuff’s non-toxic.
September 19, 2012 at 10:12 am
Google that book
September 20, 2012 at 8:20 am
I own that book. It’s fantastic.
September 19, 2012 at 10:48 am
That’s the LAST time I get the Chicken at Safeway.
September 19, 2012 at 10:51 am
my 8yr old says freaky but then again he just used the word ‘groovy’, so I wouldn’t trust his judgement or anything…
September 24, 2012 at 3:21 pm
I would’ve preferred the heads myself.
September 24, 2012 at 3:22 pm
Little dirty birdy feet…isn’t that a song?
January 4, 2013 at 12:23 am
I’ve seen this before! The seller, Sarina, is a taxidermist, and these are professionally preserved. Don’t worry; she doesn’t kill anything for her work. She also doesn’t like to waste any part of the animal, out of respect.