Duluth, MN Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- Duluth Legislative Code §§ 6-55, 6-56
- Protected
- Nests, refuges, shelters of any bird/fowl/animal
- Also barred
- Taking eggs or newly-hatched birds
- Hunting ban
- No hunting/killing wild birds/game in city
- Exception
- Minnesota DNR permit
- Pet liability
- Owners liable if their animal hunts/kills wildlife
Summary
Duluth Legislative Code Section 6-55 bars anyone, or their animal, from injuring or destroying a bird's nest, refuge or shelter on public or private property in the city, or from taking eggs or newly hatched birds from one. Section 6-56 separately makes it unlawful to hunt, kill or wound any wild bird or game animal in the city except under a Minnesota DNR permit.
No person shall, nor shall the person allow their animal to, injure or destroy any nest, refuge or shelter of any animal, creature, bird or fowl in any public property (including, but not limited to, any public park or public zoological garden) or upon any private property of another within the city or disturb, take or carry away from any such nest, refuge or shelter any egg, newly-hatched bird, fowl or denizen deposited in or making use of such nest, refuge or shelter. ... It shall be unlawful for any person, at any time, in any manner, to hunt, take, kill or wound any wild birds, any game bird or game animal within the city except as authorized by permit by the Minnesota department of natural resources
Full Breakdown
Section 6-55 protects the nest, refuge or shelter of any animal, creature, bird or fowl located on public property, including public parks and zoological gardens, as well as on the private property of another person within the city; it bars a person, or an animal they allow to do so, from injuring or destroying such a nest or from disturbing, taking or carrying away an egg, newly-hatched bird or other occupant of it. Section 6-56(a) makes it unlawful for any person, at any time, in any manner, to hunt, take, kill or wound a wild bird, game bird or game animal within the city, unless authorized by a permit from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Section 6-56(b) extends liability to pet owners: a person who owns, harbors or controls an animal may not allow that animal to hunt, take, kill or wound a wild bird, game bird or other animal in the city. The two sections share the same 1984 ordinance history and sit together in Article VI, Cruelty to Animals and Trapping, alongside the adjacent Section 6-57 ban on feeding wild bears, showing the city's broader intent to keep wildlife interactions out of the urban environment.
Violations & Fines
Neither Section 6-55 nor Section 6-56 states its own fine, so a violation of either falls under the citywide general penalty in Duluth Legislative Code Section 1-7: a fine of up to $1,000, with each day a violation continues treated as a separate offense. A hunting violation under Section 6-56 can also intersect with state enforcement, since the only lawful exception is a Minnesota DNR permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I remove a bird's nest from my Duluth property?
Is hunting allowed within Duluth city limits?
Am I responsible if my dog kills a wild bird in Duluth?
What's the penalty for destroying a bird nest in Duluth?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Duluth
Compare Duluth to another location·View the Minnesota animal ordinances overview
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