ANKENY, Iowa (KCAU) – An Iowa man has been arrested for shooting trumpeter swans at a marsh near Ankeny, Iowa.

According to the Iowa DNR, they received an anonymous tip on Friday, about a man shooting trumpeter swans at Paul Errington Marsh. After authorities arrived at the scene, a DNR conservation officer witnessed Loai Abdulal, 28, of Ankney, shoot a swan.

The responding officer also found three swans in a pile near Abdulal, the swan he shot and two more swans in the marsh unable to be retrieved. In total, Abdulal shot six swans with five of the six being young. When Abdulal was questioned, he claimed that he thought the swans were geese, a release said.

DNR Conservation Officer Dustin Eighmy stated that these types of incidents are becoming more common and it’s important for hunters to identify their targets being pulling the trigger. He also stated that the DNR is thankful that a hunter called in the poaching incident in a timely manner.

Abdulal has been charged with six counts of illegal taking of a nonprotected game and one count for an unplugged shotgun. His gun was taken by a DNR conservation officer and if convicted, Adbulal could face a civil penalty of $1,500 per trumpeter swan.