Last updated April 2023

Link to state website

Contact

NYSDEC
Special Licenses Unit
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-4752
Phone: (518) 402-8985

Is a state permit needed for banding?

Yes.

New York Consolidated Laws.
Environmental Conservation Law
Article 11. Fish and Wildlife.

§ 11-0515. Licenses   to  collect,  possess  or  sell  for  propagation, scientific or exhibition purposes.
1. The department may issue to any person a license revocable  at  its pleasure  to  collect  or  possess fish, wildlife, shellfish, crustacea,  aquatic  insects,  birds’  nests  or  eggs  for  propagation, banding, scientific or exhibition purposes. The department in its discretion may require an applicant to pay a license fee of ten dollars, to submit written  testimonials  from two well-known persons and to file a bond of  two hundred dollars to be approved by the department that  he  will  not violate  any  provisions  of this article. Each licensee shall file with the department on or before February 1 a report of his operations during the preceding calendar year.  Such  license  shall  be  effective  until revoked.

Permit application forms

• Application Form
• Renewal/Amendment – same form
• Banding
• Threatened and Endangered
• Salvage – same form, specify salvage in question 11
• Designated agents (to add others, such as subpermittees, to your permit)

State lands

Indicate on application form

Prior notice

Check permit conditions. Even if not expressly required to do so, you should always contact the manager of that particular state land unit or with the owner of private land before your arrival. You want to be aware of the hunting seasons, and, of course want to be sure that your activities will not interfere with the activities of that park, wildlife management area, or other state land unit, and that your activities will not adversely affect public use of the land or with the activities of private landowners.

Policies

New York Code, Rules, and Regulations Title 6, Chapter 1, Subchapter I, Part 175

New York state endangered species regulations

Always double check the lists – they can change!

Endangered
Golden Eagle  (Aquila chrysaetos)
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Spruce Grouse (Falcipennis canadensis)
Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis)
Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus)
Eskimo Curlew (Numenius borealis)
Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii dougallii)
Black Tern  (Chlidonias niger)
Short-eared owl (Asio flammeus)
Loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)

Threatened
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)
Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis)
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
King Rail (Rallus elegans)
Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda)
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
Least Tern (Sterna antillarum)
Red Knot (Calidris canutus rufa)
Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis)
Henslow’s Sparrow  (Ammodramus henslowii)

Special concern
Common Loon (Gavia immer)
American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus)
Osprey  (Pandion haliaetus)
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)
Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)
Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)
Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)
Whip-poor-will (Caprimulgus vociferus)
Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)
Bicknell’s Thrush (Catharus bicknelli)
Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera)
Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea)
Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens)
Vesper sparrow (Pooecetes gramineis)
Grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum)
Seaside sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus)