Pearland, TX Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Effective date
- Nov. 10, 2025 (Ord. No. 528-11)
- Prohibited acts
- Kill, trap, ensnare, or attempt to catch wild birds
- Bird feeders
- Feeders for wild birds expressly permitted
- Maximum fine
- $500, capped at state-law penalty
- Repeat violations
- Each day is a separate offense
Summary
Pearland's general code declares the entire city a bird sanctuary and makes it unlawful to kill, trap, ensnare or even attempt to catch any wild bird, at any age, anywhere within city limits. A narrow exception protects ordinary backyard bird feeders. Violators face a municipal fine of up to $500 per day.
(a)The city is hereby declared to be a bird sanctuary.(b)It shall be unlawful for any person to kill, trap, ensnare, or otherwise catch any wild bird, regardless of age, within the city. It shall also be unlawful for any person to attempt to kill, trap, ensnare, or otherwise catch any wild bird, regardless of age, within the city.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 28).
Full Breakdown
Section 6-14 of the City Code, part of Chapter 6's general animal provisions rewritten by Ordinance No. 528-11 (effective November 10, 2025), states flatly that "the city is hereby declared to be a bird sanctuary" and bars anyone from killing, trapping, ensnaring or otherwise catching a wild bird of any age within the city, extending the ban to attempts as well as completed acts. " So residents may keep conventional seed or suet feeders, but may not set traps, snares or bait meant to capture or injure wild birds.
The animal control officer and Pearland Police enforce the chapter. Section 6-15 lets the animal control officer or a police officer humanely destroy any wild bird found so badly wounded that recovery is hopeless, and requires the carcass to be lawfully removed and a written report filed with the department, showing the sanctuary designation does not block humane intervention for suffering animals. General penalty language in Section 6-17 governs enforcement of the whole chapter, including Section 6-14.
Violations & Fines
Killing, trapping, ensnaring or attempting to catch a wild bird is a misdemeanor under Section 6-17, punishable by a fine of up to $500, capped so it never exceeds the penalty for a comparable state offense. Each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense, so an ongoing trapping setup can generate multiple citations. Where a more specific penalty appears elsewhere in the chapter it controls instead of this general fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put up a bird feeder in my Pearland yard?
Does the bird sanctuary rule stop me from removing nuisance birds like grackles?
What's the fine for trapping a wild bird in Pearland?
Who enforces Pearland's bird sanctuary ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pearland
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Pearland to another location·View the Texas animal ordinances overview
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