Last updated April 2023

 Link to state website

Contacts

North Dakota Game and Fish Department
100 North Bismarck Expressway
Bismarck, North Dakota  58501
Phone:  701-328-6300

Is a state permit needed for banding?

Yes. The statute expressly states that permits are required to catch birds.

Permit application forms

• Application Form
• Renewal – same form
• Threatened and Endangered – same form
• Salvage – same form. Indicate that you plan to salvage.

State lands

To be determined

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

No  statutes or regulations pertinent to permits found, other than a general prohibition against take without a permit.

Statutes: 2009 North Dakota Century Code, Title 20 (Game, Fish, Predators, and Boating)
Chapter 20.1-02. Definitions

In this title, unless the context otherwise requires:
…
19. “Harmful wild birds” includes blackbirds, magpies, English sparrows, and starlings.
20. “Harmless wild birds” includes all wild birds not defined herein as “harmful wild birds”or “game birds”.

Chapter 20.1-04-03. Harmless wild birds protected – Imported songbirds as domestic pets may be possessed and sold. No person, without a permit issued by the director, shall kill, catch, take, ship, cause to be shipped, purchase, offer, or expose for sale, sell, have in that person’s possession or under that person’s control, any harmless wild bird, or any part thereof, irrespective of whether the harmless wild bird was captured or killed in or out of this state. Imported songbirds used and to be used as domestic pets may be bought, sold, shipped, or possessed at any time.

Chapter 20.1-04-04. Nests and eggs of protected birds protected. No person, without a permit issued by the director, may take, have in that person’s possession or under that person’s control, or needlessly break up or destroy, or in any manner interfere with, the nest or the eggs of any kind of bird, the killing of which is prohibited.

Chapter 20.1-04-05. Golden eagle, bald eagle protected. No person may take, kill, hunt, possess, sell, purchase, pursue, shoot at, disturb, capture, or destroy any golden eagle, bald eagle, or any nest or egg thereof, within North Dakota.

North Dakota state endangered species law

North Dakota does not have a state endangered species law.

However, North Dakota has a list of species of conservation concern under its state wildlife action plan. Although this status conveys no additional legal protection, permits to study such species might be subject to extra scrutiny.

Level I (highest conservation priority)

Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)
American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus)
Swainson’s Hawk (Buteo swainsoni)
Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis)
Greater Sage Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)
Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis)
Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus)
Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa)
Wilson’s Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor)
Franklin’s Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan)
Black Tern (Chlidonias niger)
Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus)
Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)
Sprague’s Pipit (Anthus spragueii)
Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum)
Baird’s Sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii)
Nelson’s Sparrow (Ammodramus nelsoni)
Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys)
Chestnut-collared Longspur (Calcarius ornatus)

Level II

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)
Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus)
Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus)
Greater Prairie Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido)
Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus)
American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)
Willet (Tringa semipalmatus)
Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda)
Least Tern (Interior) (Sterna antillarum athalassos)
Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)
Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia)
Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)
Dickcissel (Spiza americana)
Le Conte’s Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii)
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)
Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)

Level III

Whooping Crane (Grus americana)
Red Knot (Calidris canutus rufa)
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Brewer’s Sparrow (Spizella breweri)
McCown’s Longspur (Calcarius mccownii)