Sonoma County, CA Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Scope
- Sonoma County Regional Parks only
- Prohibited
- Removing, harming, or destroying birds
- Also covers
- Bird nests and eggs
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $1,000 fine
- Cemetery parallel
- § 9-2 protects birds there too
Summary
County parks code bars removing, harming, or destroying any bird, nest, or egg within Sonoma County Regional Parks boundaries without park authority permission, alongside protection for plants, fish, reptiles, and amphibians.
No person shall remove, harm or destroy any plant, either living or dead, any animal, fish (see hunting and fishing, Section 20-9), reptile, amphibian or bird, including their nest and/or eggs, or the disturbance, removal or destruction of articles or artifacts of historical, archaeological, botanical, paleontological, geological or mineral resources, in, or from any park, except when permission is granted by park authorities.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Sonoma County Code § 20-7 bans removing, harming, or destroying any bird, its nest, or its eggs anywhere within the boundaries of a Sonoma County Regional Park, alongside similar protection for plants, fish, reptiles, and amphibians, unless park authorities grant written permission. A parallel rule, § 9-2, protects birds, nests, and eggs within county cemetery boundaries. Neither section reaches private property outside parks or cemeteries: general bird and nest protection elsewhere in unincorporated Sonoma County comes from state and federal wildlife law, not this county code.
Violations & Fines
Violating § 20-7 is a misdemeanor under the code's general penalty section, punishable by a fine up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both; park rangers may cite offenders under Penal Code § 853.6.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Sonoma County protect birds outside its parks?
Can I disturb a bird's nest on my own property in unincorporated Sonoma County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sonoma County
California rules heatmap·Compare Sonoma County to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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