Washington Fish and Wildlife officials are looking into the killings of four bald eagles found floating in a Granite Falls lake last week.

The birds will undergo an X-ray as officials look for clues that point to the identity of the shooters.

"The cause of death is pretty obvious," Fish and Wildlife Department Sgt. Jennifer Maurstad said. "But if we can retrieve the bullets, at least we can match it up to something."

Eagle killings in Washington state aren't common. Officials said the birds -- whose parts are used in high-end artwork, Wiccan ceremonies and American Indian powwows -- can fetch high prices on the black market. But Maurstad said it seems unlikely those reasons were the motivation in the recent case, as the birds' carcasses were abandoned.

Those with information about the killings can receive a reward of $13,750, most of it from the Stillaguamish Tribe.

State and federal laws prohibit killing eagles or owning any of their parts without a permit. In Washington state, violators face up to 90 days in jail, plus $2,000 to $3,000 in fines (Maureen O'Hagan, Seattle Times, Jan. 18). -- WW