Monterey, CA Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)

" El Estero Park itself is defined in § 23-20 as the area, including the water area, bounded by Fremont Street, Camino Aguajito, Del Monte Boulevard, and Camino El Estero, excluding the Cemeterio El Encinal. Because the definition covers the lake and its shoreline together, the feeding ban reaches the waterfowl on Lake El Estero as much as any land-based bird or squirrel in the park's landscaped areas, and it sits alongside the park's separate bans on swimming under § 23-22 and on unauthorized boating under § 23-23.

1, in the Animals and Fowl chapter, separately bars any person citywide from feeding or intentionally providing food to encourage domesticity in a non-domesticated animal, with the code's own exception for a bird feeder kept in a yard, and further exceptions when wildlife is being fed under a valid state or federal wildlife permit or while awaiting pickup by Animal Control or the Humane Society after that agency has been notified. Read together, the two sections mean a visitor cannot feed the ducks or gulls at El Estero Park under any circumstance, while a Monterey resident elsewhere in the city may keep a yard bird feeder but may not otherwise intentionally feed wildlife.

Adults are also independently responsible for minors in their care under § 23-26, which makes it unlawful for an adult to allow a minor under their custody to violate any section of the Chapter, including the feeding ban.