Oklahoma City, OK Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 8-69
- Prohibited acts
- Killing a song bird; robbing any bird's nest
- Default penalty
- Class "a" offense, up to $500 fine
- Enforcement
- Animal Welfare Officers, § 8-16
- Related ban
- § 8-68 bars keeping skunks
Summary
Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 8-69 makes it unlawful to willfully kill a song bird, or to molest or rob the nest of any song bird or wild bird, anywhere in the City. Because the section sets no penalty of its own, § 8-23 makes a violation a Class "a" offense under the Code's general penalty clause.
§ 8-1. - General intent. The general intent of this Chapter is to protect animals from cruelty, neglect and abuse, to preserve the peace, and to promote the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the City by establishing rules and regulations for any person owning, harboring or controlling any animal within the City.
§ 8-69. - Song birds; killing and robbing of nest prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully kill any song bird or to molest or rob the nest of any song bird or wild bird.
§ 8-23. - Penalty where no penalty provided. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Chapter, any person violating any provision of this Chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be guilty of a Class "a" offense as provided in Section 1-6 of this Code.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 5 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 8's Miscellaneous Provisions division protects wild birds narrowly but absolutely: § 8-69 bars willfully killing any song bird, or molesting or robbing the nest of "any song bird or wild bird," without the exceptions found elsewhere in the Animal chapter for licensed or permitted activity. The rule sits in Division 6 alongside § 8-68's ban on owning, harboring or possessing a skunk, both narrow species-specific prohibitions layered on top of the chapter's general framework. That framework starts with § 8-1's stated intent "to protect animals from cruelty, neglect and abuse, to preserve the peace, and to promote the health, safety and welfare of the citizens," and § 8-5(2) defines "Animal" broadly enough to include "bird," while § 8-5(9) separately defines "Fowl" to exclude "domesticated fowl," leaving wild and song birds squarely inside the chapter's reach.
00, excluding costs and fees. Animal Welfare Officers, authorized under § 8-16 to "enforce the provisions of ordinances dealing with animals" and to "issue citations to appear in the Municipal Court," carry out enforcement, and § 8-18 lets an officer enter private property without a warrant with the occupant's permission or when there is imminent danger, which can matter for a nest found on private land.
Violations & Fines
Willfully killing a song bird, or molesting or robbing a song bird's or wild bird's nest, is a Class "a" offense under § 8-23 and § 1-6, punishable by a fine of up to $500.00, excluding costs and fees, issued as a Municipal Court citation. Animal Welfare Officers under § 8-16 can investigate and cite, and a person who willfully fails to appear in response to a citation commits a separate offense under § 8-17.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I remove a bird's nest from my porch in Oklahoma City?
What's the penalty for killing a song bird under city code?
Does this cover all birds or just song birds?
Who enforces the song bird ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Oklahoma City
Compare Oklahoma City to another location·View the Oklahoma animal ordinances overview
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Bird Protection in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle bird protection.