Woman Sentenced to Community Service after Falcon’s Death

COUER D'ALENE, Idaho (AP) — A Hauser woman who was found guilty in connection to the death of a hunter's falcon has been sentenced to community service.

The Coeur d'Alene Press reports that on Monday Kootenai County District Court Judge James Stow ordered 60-year-old Patti MacDonald to complete 20 hours of community service before the end of the year and pay $500 in court fees. Stow says a letter from the falcon's owner asking that MacDonald not receive jail time was taken into consideration.

Prosecutors say MacDonald fractured the skull of the 8-year-old falcon named Hornet on Jan. 7 trying to save a mallard. Both birds died that day. She was found guilty of pursuing a protected bird.