Escondido, CA Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)

Section 33-1116 of the zoning code governs household pet birds separately from the poultry and livestock covered in Article 6's Table 33-95a. Subsection (b) sets a sliding scale for "small birds such as canaries, parrots, parakeets, love birds, etc.": up to 25 total in the R-A and R-E zones, six in R-1, and three in the R-T, R-2, R-3 and R-4 zones. Subsection (c) separately allows up to 100 racing or homing pigeons on a single lot in the R-E, R-A or R-1 zone, but only if the owner files a letter with the city documenting membership in "any state or nationally recognized racing or homing pigeon association or federation," such as the American Racing Pigeon Union or the International Federation of Racing Pigeon Fanciers, both named in the code as qualifying examples.

Subsection (f) lets the zoning administrator approve "other similar animals" that are "not more obnoxious, detrimental or dangerous to the public and neighboring properties" than the species already listed, giving the city discretion over edge cases like exotic pet birds. Subsection (g) allows a minor conditional use permit to double the base bird count listed in subsection (b), and subsection (i) clarifies that an accessory dwelling unit is not treated as a separate dwelling for counting purposes, so a parcel with an ADU is still capped at the single-unit bird allowance.