Cranston, RI Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Feeder limit
- one bird feeder per property
- Wild bird feed
- container elevated 48+ inches
- Extra-feeder fine
- $50.00 minimum per instance
- Governing chapter
- Ch. 8.36 Rodent Control
Summary
Cranston limits each property to one bird feeder while the city's rodent infestation persists, and requires wild bird feed to sit in a container elevated at least 48 inches off the ground.
No person shall place more than one bird feeder per property until the rodent infestation in Cranston is eliminated. Persons placing more than one bird feeder per property shall be considered to be creating a nuisance and shall be fined accordingly in an amount no less than fifty dollars ($50.00) per instance. ... No person shall feed wild birds other than in suitable containers for the food, elevated at least forty-eight (48) inches above the ground level.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4824304; v14 updated 2026-05-18).
Full Breakdown
Cranston's rodent-control chapter treats extra bird feeders as a rat-harborage nuisance: a property is capped at one bird feeder, and a second feeder draws a fine. Separately, anyone feeding wild birds must use a suitable container for the feed, raised at least forty-eight inches above ground level, so scattered feed doesn't attract rodents. Both rules sit in Chapter 8.36, alongside the city's broader rat-eradication and ratproofing requirements, and are enforced through the same municipal-court fine process as the rest of the rodent-control ordinance.
Violations & Fines
Placing more than one bird feeder per property is a nuisance fined at no less than $50.00 per instance; fines route through the Cranston Municipal Court clerk, payable within 30 days under the rodent-control payment provisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put out two bird feeders in Cranston?
How do I legally feed wild birds in Cranston?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cranston
Compare Cranston to another location·View the Rhode Island animal ordinances overview
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Bird Protection in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle bird protection.