Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Texas Parks and Wildlife Code Chapter 64 protect almost all wild birds in Dallas. Killing, capturing, possessing, or disturbing protected birds, nests, or eggs without a federal permit is a serious offense.
The federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act protects more than 1,000 native bird species, making it unlawful to take, possess, transport, sell, or disturb any protected bird, nest, or egg without a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service permit. Texas Parks and Wildlife Code Chapter 64 mirrors and supplements federal protection for nongame and endangered species. Dallas property owners cannot remove active nests of egrets, herons, hawks, owls, woodpeckers, or songbirds during nesting season; building inspections often require nest surveys before tree trimming or demolition. Only invasive species not protected by treaty, such as European starlings, house sparrows, and feral pigeons, may be controlled without a permit, subject to humane handling.
Removing active nests of protected species, trapping or shooting migratory birds, possessing feathers or eggs without permits, demolishing structures with active nests during breeding season, or trimming trees containing active nests triggers federal and state penalties.
Dallas, TX
Texas Parks and Wildlife requires a Wildlife Rehabilitator Permit before anyone in Dallas may possess injured or orphaned wildlife. Residents finding wildlif...
Dallas, TX
Dallas does not have a specific citywide ordinance prohibiting wildlife feeding. Dallas City Code Chapter 32 (Parks) restricts certain activities in parks, a...
Dallas, TX
Dallas Development Code Chapter 51A, Article X, Division 51A-10.130 requires a tree removal application before removing protected trees. The provision applie...
See how Dallas's bird protection rules stack up against other locations.
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