Sarasota, FL Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Sanctuary boundary
- Entire City of Sarasota corporate limits
- Prohibited acts
- Kill, wound, molest, trap, capture birds; rob nests
- Maximum fine
- $500.00 under general penalty § 1-11
- Maximum jail term
- 60 days under § 1-11
- Continuing violation
- Each day is a separate offense
- Mandatory add-on
- $100.00 crime prevention fund contribution
- Related but separate rule
- § 8-7 bars killing squirrels citywide
Summary
The City of Sarasota has designated its entire corporate limits a bird sanctuary under City Code § 8-5. Inside that citywide sanctuary, City Code § 8-6 makes it unlawful to kill, wound, molest, trap or capture any bird, or to molest or rob a bird nest of eggs, with no exemption written into either section.
Sec. 8-5. - City to constitute bird sanctuary. The city shall constitute a bird sanctuary, the limits and boundaries of which shall correspond with the limits and boundaries of the city. Sec. 8-6. - Killing, trapping, molesting, etc., birds or nests. It shall be unlawful for any person to kill, wound, molest, trap or capture any bird, or molest or rob any bird nest of eggs within the bird sanctuary.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 33 | Zoning: Supplement 44).
Full Breakdown
" Because the sanctuary is citywide, the prohibition reaches every yard, park, and right-of-way inside Sarasota, not just designated habitat. Chapter 8's definitions section, § 8-1, defines "Animal" to expressly include "bird, fowl, poultry," so the chapter's broader animal-control provisions (running-at-large controls, dangerous-animal harboring rules) also sweep in birds, but §§ 8-5 and 8-6 stand as the chapter's dedicated bird-protection provisions and list no exemption for pest species, nuisance birds, or acts on the violator's own property. 00 contribution to the city's crime prevention fund on top of any court-ordered penalty, and § 1-12 extends liability to corporate officers, partners, and agents who order or authorize a violation on a business's behalf.
A related but legally distinct protection sits two sections later: § 8-7 separately bars killing or molesting squirrels anywhere in the city; that section does not extend to birds and is not part of the bird-sanctuary ordinance.
Violations & Fines
Violating § 8-5 or § 8-6 is a misdemeanor punished under the Code's general penalty, § 1-11: up to a $500.00 fine, up to 60 days in jail, or both, with each day a violation continues charged as a separate offense. Courts must also order a mandatory, non-suspendable $100.00 contribution to the city's crime prevention fund under § 1-11(f). § 1-12 reaches corporate officers and partners who direct a violation on a business's behalf.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the bird sanctuary cover my own backyard?
What happens if I disturb a bird nest?
Are nuisance birds like grackles or pigeons exempt?
Does this ordinance also protect squirrels?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sarasota
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Sarasota to another location·View the Florida animal ordinances overview
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Bird Protection in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sarasota County handle bird protection.