Orange, CA Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- Orange Municipal Code §§ 6.08.030-.040
- Prohibited act
- Shooting wild birds, damaging nests/eggs
- City designation
- Wild bird sanctuary citywide
- Nuisance exception authority
- City Council, Police Chief, animal control
- Sanctuary signage
- Posted at principal City entrances
Summary
Orange has designated itself a wild bird sanctuary and, under Municipal Code Section 6.08.030, no one may shoot any species of wild bird within the City or molest or damage a wild bird's nest or eggs. The City backs the rule with entrance signs reading "ORANGE IS A WILD BIRD SANCTUARY" under Section 6.08.040.
§ 6.08.030. Molesting Birds and Bird Eggs Prohibited. No person shall shoot any species of wild birds within the City, and no person shall molest or damage the nest or the eggs of any wild birds within the City. However, if the City Council, the Chief of Police or the person charged with animal control shall determine that starlings or other birds have become so numerous in any particular location or area as to be a public nuisance or for any other reason have become a public nuisance or a menace to health or property, said fact may be declared and the birds involved may be destroyed or otherwise controlled. § 6.08.040. City is a Wild Bird Sanctuary. The City is designated a wild bird sanctuary and signs bearing the legend "ORANGE IS A WILD BIRD SANCTUARY" shall be placed at appropriate locations at or near the City limits at principal entrances to the City.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4796775; v10 updated 2026-01-27).
Full Breakdown
030 draws a flat citywide line: no person shall shoot any species of wild birds within the City, and no person shall molest or damage the nest or the eggs of any wild birds within the City. The prohibition covers the bird itself along with the nest and eggs, so disturbing an active nest is treated the same as harming the bird. The section carves out one narrow escape valve for the City itself, not for private property owners: if the City Council, the Chief of Police, or the person charged with animal control determines that starlings or other birds have become so numerous in a particular location as to be a public nuisance, or have otherwise become a nuisance or a menace to health or property, that fact can be officially declared and the birds involved may then be destroyed or otherwise controlled.
040 pairs the prohibition with a formal designation: the City is declared a wild bird sanctuary, and signs bearing the legend "ORANGE IS A WILD BIRD SANCTUARY" are required to be placed at appropriate locations at or near the City limits, at the principal entrances to the City, making the sanctuary status a visible, standing policy rather than a one-time proclamation.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 6.08 does not print a separate penalty schedule for Section 6.08.030 the way it does for the bee-permit violation in Section 6.08.020, so shooting a wild bird or molesting its nest or eggs is enforced as a general violation of the Orange Municipal Code, and only the City Council, Chief of Police, or animal control officer can lawfully authorize destroying nuisance birds like starlings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a homeowner remove a bird nest from their own porch in Orange?
Who can authorize destroying nuisance birds like starlings in Orange?
Why does Orange call itself a wild bird sanctuary?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Orange
California rules heatmap·Compare Orange to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Bird Protection in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle bird protection.