Fargo, ND Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Citation
- Fargo Municipal Code § 12-0305
- Protected class
- Harmless wild birds per N.D.C.C. § 20.1-01-02
- Prohibited acts
- Killing, injuring, egg/nest destruction
- Penalty
- Infraction, fine up to $1,000
- Pigeons excluded
- Handled separately as nuisance (Art. 11-10)
Summary
Fargo makes it unlawful to kill, injure, or attempt to kill or injure any harmless wild bird within city limits, or to destroy their eggs or nests, unless otherwise permitted by law.
Unless otherwise permitted by law, it shall be unlawful for any person to kill or injure or attempt to kill or injure any harmless wild bird as defined in 20.1-01-02, N.D.C.C., within the corporate limits of the city or to injure or destroy the eggs or nest of any such bird within said corporate limits.
Full Breakdown
Fargo Municipal Code § 12-0305 protects wild birds citywide: killing, injuring, or attempting to kill or injure any 'harmless wild bird' as defined by N.D.C.C. § 20.1-01-02, or destroying their eggs or nests, is unlawful unless otherwise permitted by law. This sits alongside a separate rule in Article 11-10 that treats pigeons and other 'harmful wild birds' as a public nuisance subject to extermination only under a permit from the Fargo health department issued to a licensed exterminator, the code draws a hard line between protected songbirds/wildlife and nuisance species.
Violations & Fines
Killing, injuring, or attempting to kill or injure a harmless wild bird, or destroying its eggs or nest, is punishable as an infraction, carrying a fine up to $1,000 under Fargo's general penalty schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Fargo's bird protection law cover pigeons?
What counts as a 'harmless wild bird' in Fargo?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fargo
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