Migratory Bird Management
Evening waterfowl flyoff at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, Willows, Calif. Photo Credit: USFWS
The Pacific Southwest Region’s Migratory Bird Program works together with a diversity of partners to assess, manage and conserve migratory bird species and their habitats in California, Nevada and the Klamath Basin of southern Oregon. We also issue permits and regulations for states, local governments and individuals to participate in activities such as hunting, scientific research, rehabilitation or injured birds, educations, falconry, and taxidermy.
The Service's Migratory Bird Program provides national and international leadership in the conservation and management of migratory birds by promoting, among the Service and its partners, science-based management of both populations and habitat on and off Service lands in support of national and internation bird plans and initiatives.
Learn more about the Migratory Bird Program...
Bald Eagle. Credit: USFWS
Current News and Information
Proposed Changes to Service’s Comprehensive Eagle Conservation and Management Program: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently opened a 60-day public comment period on proposed improvements to the agency’s comprehensive eagle conservation and management program. The proposed changes include modifications to the regulations governing permits for incidental take of bald and golden eagles that will protect eagle populations during the course of otherwise lawful human activities. Learn about all the proposed changes and commenting procedures here.
Eagle Permits and Wind Energy: As the nation seeks to increase its production of domestic energy, wind energy developers and wildlife agencies have recognized a need for specific guidance to help make wind energy facilities compatible with eagle conservation and the laws and regulations that protect eagles. Learn more on our Eagle Permits page.
Bald and Golden Eagle Permits: The Service published the final rule on two new permit regulations that will allow the "take" of eagles under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Read the Final Rule from the Federal Register.
About the Muscovy Duck: The Muscovy duck now occurs naturally in southern Texas, so it has been added to the list of birds protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. This species has been introduced in other areas throughout the U.S. where it is an exotic species, and it is widely raised in captivity for food. To control the spread of Muscovy Ducks in areas outside their natural range, new Service regulations allow for control of feral Muscovy ducks, their nests, and eggs in areas outside their natural range (50 CFR 21.54). Other regulations finalized at the same time as the listing and Control Order that restrict possession of Muscovy Ducks and require a permit to sell captive-bred Muscovy Ducks for food will not be administered at this time because the Service plans to revise those regulations in the near future. Read the fact sheet and the final rule.
Bird Species Protected by MBTA Expands to 1,007: The most recent revisions to the list of bird species protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) are described in the latest ruling. Species on this list are governed under migratory bird hunting and permitting regulations concerning most aspects of possession, transportation, sale, purchase, exportation, and importation of protected species. The list, last updated in 2010, incorporates the latest taxonomic and scientific data for migratory birds. The latest changes include 186 new additions and 11 subtractions, bringing the total number of species protected under the MBTA to 1007. Read the Final Rule from the Federal Register / Questions and Answers.
Sandhill cranes at Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. Credit: Dale Garrison/USFWS
Focal Species Strategy
In 2005, the Migratory Bird Program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) initiated the Focal Species Strategy to better measure its success in achieving its bird conservation priorities and mandates. The focal species strategy involves campaigns for selected species to provide explicit, strategic, and adaptive sets of conservation actions required to return the species to healthy and sustainable levels.
The Service is committed to landscape-scale, integrated bird conservation for the full array of species of management concern and developed the focal species strategy to provide the increased accountability required from all federal agencies. Campaigns have been launched for a subset of focal species since 2005 and includeded the creation of multi-agency and conservation organization working groups and the development of conservation action plans.
Focal Species in the Pacific Southwest Region
Click the shield to find more on national migratory bird conservation management plans.
To expand, watch in YouTube.
Video courtesy of Partners in Flight
Partners In Flight
Celebrate Partners in Flight's mission and approach to bird conversation with this 20th Anniversary video. Spectacular bird footage and vocalizations bring the message to life that we must continue to work together to effectively conserve the Western Hemisphere's amazing and diverse bird life.
Federal Permitting
Under the authority of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Regional Migratory Bird Office issues a variety of migratory bird permits, including authorizing possession of species, live, non-releasable and dead specimens for public wildlife conservation; possession of bald eagle feathers by Native Americans for religious use; captive-breeding of native waterfowl; rehabilitation of injured/orphaned birds and depredation permits when financial loss or health concerns are documented.
Bird Management Fact Sheets
Contact Us
The Migratory Bird Office is located at the Pacific Southwest Regional Office in Sacramento, Calif.
Telephone: (916) 414-6464.
Permit email: permitsr8mb@fws.gov
Joint Ventures
Joint Ventures are collaborative, regionally-based partnerships of agencies, non-profit organizations, corporations and Indian tribes that work to implement bird conservation plans within a specific geographic area. Joint Ventures in the Pacific Southwest Region include:
San Francisco Bay Joint Venture
Central Valley Joint Venture
Sonoran Joint Venture
Intermountain West Joint Venture
Waterbird Conservation Plan
The 2014 Coastal California Waterbird Conservation Plan, which focuses on the U.S. portion of Bird Conservation Region (BCR) 32 encompassing the coastal slope and Coast Ranges of central and southern California and the Central Valley is available here.
The Coastal California plan provides a framework for implementing the initiative's vision regionally by sustaining or restoring the distribution, diversity, and abundance of populations and habitats of breeding, migratory, and nonbreeding waterbirds in conservation region.
The plan includes 46 species of waterbirds (loons, grebes, pelicans, cormorants, herons, egrets, night-herons, bitterns, ibis, rails, gallinules, coots, cranes, gulls, terns, and skimmers).
Get Connected!
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service FieldNotes
FieldNotes showcases the activities, events and conservation work of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service here in the Pacific Southwest Region. The articles inside are written by our employees and reflect the efforts of the Service and our partners in conserving and preserving the unique natural resources here in California, Nevada and the Klamath Basin. After you've visited FieldNotes, follow us on these social media channels...
