Burleson, TX Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)

Section 58-13 of the Burleson Code of Ordinances, titled Protection of wild animals, applies inside any city park in the City of Burleson. Subsection (a) lists two prohibited acts and requires a permit from the director in accordance with the article for either one. First, a person cannot capture, attempt to capture, hunt, molest, injure, trap or set out any trap or harmful substance for any wild or domestic animal, reptile, bird or fish. Second, a person cannot remove or have in possession the young, eggs or inhabited nest of any animal, reptile or bird. Possession alone is enough for the nest rule: the text reaches the young, the eggs, and the inhabited nest.

Two exceptions follow. Subsection (b) lets any person kill a wild animal provided the killing is necessary to protect a person from imminent bodily injury or death. Subsection (c) lets any resident of the city fish for and remove from creeks, lakes and ponds in public parks any fish caught with a rod and reel or cane pole, subject to Texas law, while fishing from a vessel, trot lines, nets or seines, and noodling are prohibited in all city parks.

Other park sections reinforce the rule. Section 58-10(b) bars possessing, exhibiting, or displaying a firearm on a city park, and discharging one within, across or on a park, unless the person is a peace officer exercising official duties or is licensed to carry a concealed handgun and acts in conformance with the law.

The city also has a citywide wildlife rule outside the park chapter. Section 6-9(k) provides that no person may hunt, trap, wound, kill, maim, torture or otherwise threaten the health and safety of any indigenous wild animal in the city limits of Burleson. It excludes nuisance wildlife trapping under the authorization and supervision of the animal control authority, licensed seasonal hunting on properly zoned property with the owner's permission, and persons holding proper permits issued by the animal control authority or Texas Parks and Wildlife. That section does not name birds; § 58-13 is the provision that names birds, eggs, and nests.