Sedona, AZ Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies in
- city parks, trails, open space areas
- Banned
- harassing, chasing, harming, capturing wildlife
- Banned outright
- disturbing or moving birds' nests or eggs
- Exception
- wildlife rescue/rehab with public works director OK
- Also banned
- releasing wild/exotic/nonnative animals into wetlands
- Max penalty
- $2,500 fine / 6 months jail
Summary
It's unlawful to harass, capture or throw objects at wildlife in Sedona's parks, trails and open spaces, and disturbing or moving a bird's nest or its eggs is banned outright under SCC 12.30.181, with a narrow exception for permitted wildlife rescue work.
A. It is unlawful to harass, chase, harm, capture, or to shoot or throw an object at any animal. This does not apply to the chasing or capture of domestic animals such as dogs or cats to bring them under appropriate control of the owner, caretaker, or animal control officers. B. It is unlawful to disturb or move birds’ nests or eggs. C. This section shall not apply to persons performing wildlife rescue, rehabilitation or management of the wastewater wetlands with permission from the public works director, city manager or his/her designee. D. It is unlawful to release any wild, exotic or nonnative animal or pet into the wastewater wetlands. For example but not limited to: snakes, birds, fish, frogs, dogs or cats.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Initiative Ordinance 2026-01, approved by voters at the July 21, 2026 election).
Full Breakdown
181(A) makes it unlawful to harass, chase, harm, capture, or shoot or throw an object at any animal within a city park, trail or open space area, though the prohibition specifically does not apply to chasing or capturing a domestic animal like a dog or cat to bring it under the control of an owner, caretaker or animal control officer. Subsection (B) is a flat rule with no built-in scope limit: it is unlawful to disturb or move birds' nests or eggs, full stop, anywhere the chapter applies.
Subsection (C) carves out an exception for people performing wildlife rescue, rehabilitation or management of the wastewater wetlands, but only with permission from the public works director, city manager or a designee, meaning volunteers and rehabilitators need that sign-off before handling nests, eggs or animals covered by the section. Subsection (D) adds a separate ban on releasing any wild, exotic or nonnative animal or pet into the wastewater wetlands, naming snakes, birds, fish, frogs, dogs and cats as examples. The whole section traces to Ord. 010, rather than private property citywide.
Violations & Fines
Harassing, chasing, harming, capturing wildlife, disturbing a bird's nest or eggs, or releasing a wild, exotic or nonnative animal into the wastewater wetlands, all without the wildlife-rescue permission described in subsection (C), violates SCC 12.30.181. SCC 1.15.010 makes the violation a class 1 misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $2,500, up to six months in jail, or both, and a peace officer or code enforcement officer can issue a civil citation instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I remove a bird's nest from a Sedona park?
Am I allowed to catch a loose dog in a Sedona park?
Can someone release a pet turtle or fish into the wetlands?
What if I do wildlife rescue work in a Sedona park?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sedona
Compare Sedona to another location·View the Arizona animal ordinances overview
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