Charleston, SC Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Protected area
- Entire City of Charleston corporate limits
- Prohibited acts
- Kill, maim, injure birds; molest eggs or nests
- Hunting exception
- Game birds only, on properly zoned land
- Enforcing agency
- Division of Animal Control
- Maximum penalty
- $500 fine or 30 days jail (Sec. 1-16)
Summary
The entire City of Charleston is legally declared a bird sanctuary, making it unlawful to kill, maim or injure any wild or migratory bird, or to destroy, rob or molest eggs, nests, or breeding places anywhere within city limits, with a narrow carve-out for lawfully licensed game-bird hunting on zoned land.
Sec. 5-22. - Establishment of bird sanctuary; exceptions for hunting. The territory embraced within the corporate limits of the City of Charleston is hereby declared to be a bird sanctuary; provided however that nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit the lawful hunting of game birds, as defined by S.C. Code § 50-1-30(1), as amended, on lands within the city that are zoned to permit such use. Sec. 5-23. - Injury of certain birds or nests. It shall be unlawful for any person to kill, maim or injure any wild or migratory bird, or to destroy, rob or molest the eggs or nests and breeding places of any birds.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 114 | Zoning: Supplement 25).
Full Breakdown
City Code Sec. 5-22 declares the entire territory within Charleston's corporate limits a bird sanctuary. C. Code § 50-1-30(1) on lands that are specifically zoned to permit that use; hunting anywhere else in the city, or of non-game species, is off-limits regardless of season or state license. Sec. 5-23 separately bars anyone from killing, maiming or injuring a wild or migratory bird, or destroying, robbing or molesting the eggs, nests, or breeding places of any bird, citywide, with no exception written into that section. Both sections sit in Chapter 5, Article I of the City Code, the same chapter that creates the Division of Animal Control within the police department (Sec.
5-36) and gives its officers authority to investigate complaints and issue citations for chapter violations (Sec. 5-25). A resident who traps, shoots, or otherwise harms a songbird, gull, heron, or osprey nest on their own property in Charleston is in violation even though the same conduct might be unregulated in a neighboring jurisdiction without a sanctuary designation.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 5-25 authorizes animal control officers to issue citations on probable cause, delivered in person or by certified mail, directing the violator to appear in municipal court; the chief judge may set a forfeitable bond in lieu of appearance. Sec. 5-25(b) ties chapter-wide punishment to Sec. 1-16, the general penalty: a fine up to $500.00 and/or up to 30 days in jail, with each continuing day of violation charged as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is all of Charleston really a bird sanctuary?
Can I remove a bird's nest from my Charleston property?
Am I allowed to hunt birds inside city limits?
What happens if animal control cites me for a bird violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charleston
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