50 Cfr 21.43

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ELECTRONIC CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS
e-CFR Data is current as of March 29, 2013
Title 50: Wildlife and Fisheries
PART 21—MIGRATORY BIRD PERMITS
Subpart D—Control of Depredating and Otherwise Injurious Birds
§ 21.43 Depredation order for blackbirds, cowbirds, grackles, crows, and magpies.
You do not need a Federal permit to control the species listed in the table below if they are
committing or about to commit depredations on ornamental or shade trees, agricultural crops,
livestock, or wildlife, or when concentrated in such numbers and manner that they are a health hazard
or other nuisance:
Blackbirds
Brewer's (Euphagus
cyanocephalus)
Red-winged (Agelaius
phoeniceus)
Yellow-headed
(Xanthocephalus
xanthocephalus)

Cowbirds
Bronzed
(Molothrus
aeneus)
Brown-headed
(Molothrus ater)

Grackles
Crows
Boat-tailed
American (Corvus
(Quiscalus major) brachyrhynchos)

Common
(Quiscalus
quiscula)
Shiny (Molothrus Great-tailed
bonariensis)
(Quiscalus
mexicanus)
Greater Antillean
(Quiscalus niger)

Fish (Corvus
ossifragus)

Magpies
Black-billed
(Pica
hudsonia).
Yellow-billed
(Pica nuttalli).

Northwestern
(Corvus caurinus)

(a) You must attempt to control depredation by species listed under this depredation order using
non-lethal methods before you may use lethal control.
(b) In most cases, if you use a firearm to kill migratory birds under the provisions of this section,
you must use nontoxic shot or nontoxic bullets to do so. See § 20.21(j) of this chapter for a listing of
approved nontoxic shot types. However, this prohibition does not apply if you use an air rifle, an air
pistol, or a 22 caliber rimfire firearm for control of depredating birds under this order.
(c) If you exercise any of the privileges granted by this section, you must allow any Federal, State,
tribal, or territorial wildlife law enforcement officer unrestricted access at all reasonable times (including
during actual operations) over the premises on which you are conducting the control. You must furnish
the officer whatever information he or she may require about your control operations.
(d) You may kill birds under this order only in a way that complies with all State, tribal, or territorial
laws or regulations. You must have any State, tribal, or territorial permit required to conduct the
activity.
(e) You may not sell, or offer to sell, any bird, or any part thereof, killed under this section, but you
may possess, transport, and otherwise dispose of the bird or its parts.
(f) Any person or agency acting under this depredation order must provide to the appropriate
Regional Migratory Bird Permit Office an annual report for each species taken. You can find the
addresses for the Regional Migratory Bird Permit Offices in § 2.2 of subchapter A of this chapter. You

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must submit your report by January 31st of the following year, and you must include the following
information:
(1) Your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address;
(2) The species and number of birds taken;
(3) The months in which the birds were taken;
(4) The State(s) and county(ies) in which the birds were taken; and
(5) The general purpose for which the birds were taken (such as for protection of agriculture,
human health and safety, property, or natural resources).
(g) The Office of Management and Budget has approved the information collection requirements
associated with this depredation order and assigned OMB Control No. 1018-0146. We may not
conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays
a currently valid OMB control number. You may send comments on the information collection
requirements to the Service's Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
MS 222-ARLSQ, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240.
[75 FR 75156, Dec. 2, 2010]

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