PHILADELPHIA — Videos of a woman snatching birds at a U.S. park and putting them alive in plastic bags have triggered an investigation by the National Park Service.
Videos posted to Instagram on Wednesday, which have been removed, show the woman capturing what appear to be sparrows as she and a man sit on a bench in a historic square near Philadelphia’s Independence Hall.
The man appears to toss food to a cluster of birds as the woman leans down and grabs a bird and puts it into a small plastic bag, which she ties off as the bird flaps around inside.
Park Service spokeswoman Gina Gilliam says trapping and harassing wildlife in the park is against federal regulations.
The couple in the video were not identified, so they could not be contacted for comment.