Cary, NC Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Sanctuary area
- entire town + town-owned land
- Authority
- G.S. 160A-188
- Banned acts
- trap, hunt, shoot, kill wild birds
- Exception
- permitted pest species only
Summary
The Town of Cary, Wake County, North Carolina has designated all land within its corporate limits, plus town-owned property outside those limits, as a bird sanctuary under state law, making it illegal to trap, hunt, shoot, or kill native wild birds there.
(a) Town designated as sanctuary. The area within the corporate limits of the town and all land owned or leased by the town outside the corporate limits is hereby designated as a bird sanctuary, as authorized by G.S. 160A-188. (b) Unlawful to trap, etc. It shall be unlawful intentionally to trap, hunt, shoot, or otherwise kill, within the sanctuary hereby established, any native wild bird, except those birds classes as a pest under article 22A of chapter 113 of the General Statutes...
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2023 S-87_S-57: Current through local ordinance 2022-Code-05, passed 11-17-2022 and effective 11-17-2022 | LDO: Current through local ordinance 2022-LDO-04, passed 11-17-22 and effective 11-17-22).
Full Breakdown
Enacted under the authority of G.S. 160A-188, Cary Code of Ordinances § 6-60 designates the entire town and any Town-owned or leased land beyond the corporate limits as a bird sanctuary. It is unlawful to intentionally trap, hunt, shoot, or otherwise kill any native wild bird inside that sanctuary. The only exception covers species classified as pests under the state's Structural Pest Control Act or the North Carolina Pesticide Law, and only when the person holds a permit issued by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. The rule sits in the Animal Control chapter's violations article and applies townwide, across both the Wake and Chatham County portions of Cary.
Violations & Fines
Trapping, hunting, shooting, or killing a native wild bird inside town limits without a state pest-control permit violates § 6-60 and is enforceable under the Code's general penalty provisions, including citation by animal control.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to shoot birds in Cary, NC?
Are pest birds like starlings exempt?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cary
Compare Cary to another location·View the North Carolina animal ordinances overview
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Bird Protection in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wake County handle bird protection.