An Idaho woman who is suspected of beating a hunter 's falcon to death with a beaded scarf after she saw it take down a duck is facing a misdemeanor charge that the pet 's owner thinks is too lenient . Patti MacDonald , 60 , of Hauser , was charged with beating or harassing an animal after authorities say she fractured the skull of an eight-year-old falcon named Hornet on January 7 . Hornet 's owner , Scott Dinger , said MacDonald should be charged with killing a protected species . Patti MacDonald of Hauser , Idaho , was charged with beating or harassing an animal after she allegedly beat a hunter 's pet falcon ( example pictured ) to death with a beaded scarf in an effort to save a duck . Scott Dinger ( seen with other falcon ) thinks MacDonald 's misdemeanor charge was not harsh enough . Dinger , who was hunting with Hornet at the time , was about 500 yards away when the bird of prey made a successful attack and landed with the duck . He said he was approaching the spot when he saw MacDonald 's red Jeep Wrangler pull up . Hornet flew away but appeared injured and Dinger found him dead about an hour later , the Coeur d'Alene Press reported . The duck also died . According to Dinger , Hornet had been with humans since the day he was hatched . He said : 'They do n't really know they are falcons . 'That was probably a part of his undoing because you could walk up to him and he would n't fly or try to get away . ' The duck ( example pictured ) also died . MacDonald is facing up to six months in jail and a $ 5,000 fine . Dinger said it was tough to accept what happened because his bird was so young and falcons can live for about 30 years when they 're with humans . He said : ' I had planned for Hornet to live longer than me . ' Craig Walker , a regional conservation officer for the Idaho Fish and Game Department , said he received an anonymous call from a woman saying she tried to save a duck from a falcon . The phone system identified the caller as MacDonald . Walker wrote in a report : 'The woman later stated that she had been very upset about the duck being injured , but felt bad about injuring someone 's pet , because she 'beat the crap out of it really hard . ' '' Kootenai County Prosecutor Barry McHugh said he reviewed Walker 's report and determined the misdemeanor charge was appropriate . Beating or harassing an animal is punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $ 5,000 for a first-time offender . Peregrine falcons were on the threatened and endangered species list , but they were removed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in 1999 . 'There are between 2,000 and 3,000 breeding pairs of American peregrine falcons in Canada , Mexico , and the United States . ' according to the FWS . It 's unclear if Hornet was a peregrine .
Authorities say Patti MacDonald fractured skull of a falcon named Hornet . The duck also died . Was charged with misdemeanor count of beating or harassing an animal . Hornet 's owner said she should be charged with killing a protected species . If found guilty , MacDonald faces up to six months in jail and $ 5,000 in fines .