It's a bird's life - Federally protected bird's nest holds up sale of Ford truck in Kansas

[malaise]

I love this story

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/22/kansas-bird-nest-truck

A robin built a nest on a Ford-F-250’s tire and laid its eggs in it; a law prohibits removing it while inhabited by bird brood

A truck sold by a Kansas dealership cannot be taken from the lot by its new owner because a family of robins is living atop one of the vehicle’s tires.

The relatively novel situation has gained widespread attention after the dealership in the Kansas community of Olathe wrote about it on its Facebook page – and it perhaps taught many that active robin nests are protected by federal law from the US.

A few weeks earlier, employees at the Olathe Ford Lincoln dealership discovered a robin building a nest atop a tire of the truck in question. The bird laid four stunningly blue eggs over the next few days, the dealership wrote in a 14 May Facebook post.

The eggs hatched more recently, and the robin is caring for the baby birds, the dealership said.

[msongs]

1. cancel the sale and get a truck somewhere else. win win nt

[questionseverything]

10. Bad juju

[jmowreader]

2. Don't worry, it won't be long

Robins leave the nest as fledglings about two weeks after hatching. I'm certain Olathe Ford Lincoln can give the purchaser a loaner car for a couple of weeks.

[CrispyQ]

3. Bet they'll get a ton of good press & business for this!

I collected feathers for years before I learned that you should leave almost all bird feathers on the ground. The reason is to avoid creating a feather trade, cuz humans would kill birds to extinction for money. Some Native American organizations are exempt & when I die my feathers will go to them.

https://www.fws.gov/law/migratory-bird-treaty-act-1918

https://www.fws.gov/media/list-birds-protected-migratory-bird-treaty-act-2023

[malaise]

5. I learn something new here daily

Never knew about this - thanks

[canetoad]

4. Great story!

Good morning

[malaise]

6. Hi there

[PufPuf23]

7. The robin and its eggs fall under a 1918 US wildlife protection law known as the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. nt

[malaise]

8. Thanks for this

Cool

[Disaffected]

9. I am pleased to report that Canada is also part of that bird protection.

"The Migratory Bird Treaty or Convention is an environmental treaty between Canada and the United States. It was originally signed on 16 August 1916 by the United States and the United Kingdom (representing Canada), entered into force on 6 December 1916 and has since been amended several times."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migratory_Bird_Treaty

[malaise]

13. Rec

Thanks

[Skittles]

11. great publicity for the dealership

kudos to the customers for their understanding

[Fla Dem]

12. Fantastically wonderful story! Thank you to the dealership.

Last edited Sat May 23, 2026, 12:42 PM - Edit history (1)

[Totally Tunsie]

14. My condo painting was delayed for almost a month

due to the active robin's nest in the grapevine wreath next to my front door. It couldn't be moved until after the family moved on. I kept it intact and re-used the wreath "as improved" for several subsequent Springs. Each year, new occupants simply refreshed the existing nest. I like to think it was the former fledges returning to continue the tradition with their new family.

The decorative factor of the wreath was (IMO) greatly increased by their residence. It was worth using only the garage door for that time so as not to disturb mom and four babies. The condo association, however, wasn't pleased with the first year's delay!

[malaise]

15. Lovely

😀

[eppur_se_muova]

18. Grapevine wreath ! So that's what that is ! My mom had some of those for a long time -- and yes we got robins !

One of those is on our front porch and I got some pics of four or five nestlings (very awkward POV, trying not to fall off of a short stepladder on the stairway !) one year. I have a vague memory that there might have been a second occurrence, but it's fuzzy.

So much more pleasant an experience than when wasps did the same thing.

[Totally Tunsie]

20. Nice to hear you had the same experience because it is a pleasant memory.

I, too, was lucky enough to get some close-up photos, but I recall hearing the mother Robin screeching at me from a nearby tree as I got too close to her nest. It was the only time I tried because I didn't want to upset her, and I used the opportunity to place a small pillow on the porch floor under the nest in case any of the fledges took a tumble. She was always on watch whenever she left the nest.

[tazcat]

16. There are good & decent people. More than the bad me thinks.

[MustLoveBeagles]

17. K&R

[spanone]

19. ♥️K&R♥️