Photographer Covers Songbird Slaughter | National Geographic

I had never photographed birds before

I had never photographed birds before I’m not a I wasn’t a bird watcher and my

I’m not a I wasn’t a bird watcher and my

I’m not a I wasn’t a bird watcher and my friends who are all conflict

friends who are all conflict

friends who are all conflict photographers like me that’s what I’ve

photographers like me that’s what I’ve

photographers like me that’s what I’ve done most of my career said who were all

done most of my career said who were all

done most of my career said who were all going to live Libya and Syria that year

going to live Libya and Syria that year

going to live Libya and Syria that year said you’re taking picture of birds I

said you’re taking picture of birds I

said you’re taking picture of birds I was going on for people who do love

was going on for people who do love

was going on for people who do love birds they go all over the world just to

birds they go all over the world just to

birds they go all over the world just to get like a fleeting glimpse like that’s

get like a fleeting glimpse like that’s

get like a fleeting glimpse like that’s what is so enchanting about birds is

what is so enchanting about birds is

what is so enchanting about birds is that you see them from a distance just

that you see them from a distance just

that you see them from a distance just for a moment and it’s so magical they’re

for a moment and it’s so magical they’re

for a moment and it’s so magical they’re free the first time that I saw a bird

free the first time that I saw a bird

free the first time that I saw a bird was to see them hanging upside down

was to see them hanging upside down

was to see them hanging upside down mother wins all like they were crucified

mother wins all like they were crucified

mother wins all like they were crucified struggling the joints of their wings

struggling the joints of their wings

struggling the joints of their wings broken legs broken hanging upside down

broken legs broken hanging upside down

broken legs broken hanging upside down dying and you know you’re not supposed

dying and you know you’re not supposed

dying and you know you’re not supposed to see birds like that like that is

to see birds like that like that is

to see birds like that like that is really um that was the first time that I

really um that was the first time that I

really um that was the first time that I understood what that I wasn’t doing a

understood what that I wasn’t doing a

understood what that I wasn’t doing a natural history story I was doing a

natural history story I was doing a

natural history story I was doing a conflict story and I was working that

conflict story and I was working that

conflict story and I was working that activist they realized the quickest way

activist they realized the quickest way

activist they realized the quickest way to remove the SAP and not injure the

to remove the SAP and not injure the

to remove the SAP and not injure the bird further was to just dissolve the

bird further was to just dissolve the

bird further was to just dissolve the tree sap in your mouth he’s it’s sweet

tree sap in your mouth he’s it’s sweet

tree sap in your mouth he’s it’s sweet and it dissolves on your tongue so they

and it dissolves on your tongue so they

and it dissolves on your tongue so they would just hold the bird in their palms

would just hold the bird in their palms

would just hold the bird in their palms and they put the feet of the bird in

and they put the feet of the bird in

and they put the feet of the bird in their mouth and suck on the feet and

their mouth and suck on the feet and

their mouth and suck on the feet and suck on the feathers and then you let

suck on the feathers and then you let

suck on the feathers and then you let the bird go and it’s such a tender thing

the bird go and it’s such a tender thing

the bird go and it’s such a tender thing actually to see them do this and I did

actually to see them do this and I did

actually to see them do this and I did it too sometimes you know I took

it too sometimes you know I took

it too sometimes you know I took pictures but I also helped pull birds

pictures but I also helped pull birds

pictures but I also helped pull birds down and release them and you know to to

down and release them and you know to to

down and release them and you know to to hold a tiny bird or so fragile the hold

hold a tiny bird or so fragile the hold

hold a tiny bird or so fragile the hold in your hand and actually put part of it

in your hand and actually put part of it

in your hand and actually put part of it in you

in you

in you mouths and then to let it free it’s very

mouths and then to let it free it’s very

mouths and then to let it free it’s very powerful like life-affirming thing to do

powerful like life-affirming thing to do

powerful like life-affirming thing to do actually