OLATHE, Kan. — A person who bought a truck at a Kansas dealership is going to have to wait to pick up their vehicle. And it has nothing to do with dealer prep or filling out paperwork for an extended warranty.
Employees at Olathe Ford Lincoln said a robin built a nest on the tire of a brand new F-250 pickup that was sitting on the lot, KMBC reported.
The robin laid some eggs, which subsequently hatched. And that means the nest cannot be disturbed, according to federal law.
The birds are allowed to remain at their present spot until they tire of it, according to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.
According to the legislation, if a bird such as a robin builds a nest and lays eggs, it cannot be legally destroyed or relocated until its chicks have completely left the nest on their own.
Olathe dealership can’t move sold truck after robin builds nest on tire | Click on the image to read the full story https://t.co/3VzT8Ez42m
— KMBC (@kmbc) May 18, 2026
The law states that it is illegal “to destroy a nest that has eggs or chicks in it or if there are young birds that are still dependent on the nest for survival,” the U.S. Fish & Wildlife website states.
Employees at the dealership said that random encounters with animals are almost a normal occurrence at the business.
“We found some cats in the cars before. One of our employees has adopted a cat we found in one of the trucks,” employee Sammi Dodson told KMBC. “And just today, someone came in to get their oil changed, and we lifted up the hood, and there was a mama possum with about seven baby possums. So we’re all laughing because now we’re just an animal rescue.”
More than that. Until the robins leave the area, the truck will remain a bird hotel.
© 2026 Cox Media Group
