Last updated July 2020

Website

Pennsylvania Game and Fish Commission

Contacts

Pennsylvania Game Commission
2001 Elmerton Ave.
Harrisburg, PA 17110
Phone: (717) 783-8164

Is a state permit needed for banding?

Yes. There are two regulations in Pennsylvania, one for bird banding and the other for scientific collecting.

Permit application forms

• The Pennsylvania Game Commission receives permit applications in the form of a brief proposal, addressing the information as specified in the regulations, below. Contact the agency for an application packet.

• Renewal – A letter or request, accompanied by a report on previous permit activity and a copy of proposal, with appropriate modifications.
• Threatened and Endangered – no form; send proposal.
• Salvage – no form; send proposal.

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

Statutes

Title 34 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Annotated. Game
Chapter 29. Special Licenses and Permits
Subchapter B. Specific Classes of Permits

Sec. 2921. Bird banding permits.

(a) General rule. – Unless further provided by commission regulation, persons wishing to band birds under authority of a Federal bird banding permit shall:

(1) First pay the prescribed fee and have the Federal permit validated by the director.

(2) Submit any project outlines, reports or other information necessary for the commission to administer this title.

(b) Unlawful acts. – It is unlawful to:

(1) Trap or band protected birds without first securing valid permits as set forth in this title.

(2) Violate any other provision of this section or regulation of the commission promulgated under authority of this chapter.

(c) Penalty. – Except for endangered or threatened species, a violation of this section is a summary offense of the fifth degree. Each bird captured, banded or held constitutes a separate offense.

Sec. 2922. Collecting permits.

(a) Issuance. – Unless further provided by commission regulation, permits authorizing the holder to collect birds, their nests with eggs found therein and animals, protected by this title, for exhibition in public museums or for scientific study or school instruction may be issued to:

(1) Persons of known scientific attainment in either ornithology or mammalogy for scientific study, whether residents of this Commonwealth or not.

(2) Agents of public museums or institutions of learning for exhibition purposes, whether residents of this Commonwealth or not.

(b) Application and project outline. – Applicants for a collecting permit or a renewal of a collecting permit shall include an outline of the project they are working on or propose to begin. This outline shall include any benefits for game or wildlife or useable scientific information they expect to generate along with the minimum number of specimens of each species needed. The application and project outline shall be reviewed by the director who may approve, reject or modify the project.

(c) Permit conditions. – The permit shall list the number of specimens to be taken and specify the method of taking.

(d) Unlawful acts. – It is unlawful to:

(1) Take more than the number of specimens shown on the permit.

(2) Sell or offer for sale or barter any specimen obtained.

(3) Transfer control of any specimen to another person without first securing written permission from the director.

(4) Violate any other provisions of this section.

(e) Penalty. – Except for endangered or threatened species, a violation of this section is a summary offense of the fifth degree.

Regulations

Pennsylvania Code
Title 58. Recreation
Chapter 147. Special Permits

Sec. 147.21. General.

(a)  When conducting activities granted by a bird banding permit, it is unlawful to fail or neglect to:

(1)  Transfer injured birds to a licensed rehabilitator or dispose of the bird as directed by an officer of the Commission.

(2)  Report dead birds to an officer of the Commission within 72 hours for disposition as directed.

(3)  Mark a trap, net or device with the bander’s name, address and permit number.

(4)  Release birds as soon as they have been identified and banded and the required data is recorded.

(5)  Remove birds from the trapping site except as provided in paragraphs (1) and (2).

(b)  Bird banding permits may be issued to a nonresident of this Commonwealth.

Sec. 147.41. General.

When conducting activities granted by a collecting permit, it is unlawful to fail or neglect to:

(1)  Mark a trap or device with the permittee’s name, address and permit number.

(2)  Transfer injured, nontargeted wildlife to a licensed rehabilitator or a Commission officer for disposition.

(3)  Report dead nontarget wildlife within 72 hours to a Commission officer for disposition.

Chapter 147.21 Bird Banding

Sec. 147.21. General.
(a)  When conducting activities granted by a bird banding permit, it is unlawful to fail or neglect to:
(1)  Transfer injured birds to a licensed rehabilitator or dispose of the bird as directed by an officer of the Commission.
(2)  Report dead birds to an officer of the Commission within 72 hours for disposition as directed.
(3)  Mark a trap, net or device with the bander’s name, address and permit number.
(4)  Release birds as soon as they have been identified and banded and the required data is recorded.
(5)  Remove birds from the trapping site except as provided in paragraphs (1) and (2).

(b)  Bird banding permits may be issued to a nonresident of this Commonwealth.

Pennsylvania state endangered species law

Pennsylvania Administrative Code
Title 58. Recreation
Chapter 147. Special Permits
Subchapter E. Endangered or threatened species

(a)  The permit will only be issued if it can be established that the possession of the endangered species will enhance the species as a whole.

(b)  It is unlawful to fail or neglect to follow instructions or directions given on the permit

Pennsylvania Administrative Code
CHAPTER 133. WILDLIFE CLASSIFICATION
133.21 Classification of Birds

Endangered Species
American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Black Tern (Chlidonias niger)
Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata)
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
Dickcissel (Spiza americana)
Great Egret (Ardea alba)
King Rail (Rallus elegans)
Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis)
Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)
Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus)
Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis)
Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)
Upland Sandpiper (Batramia longicauda)
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris)
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax violaceus)

Threatened Species
Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
Long-eared Owl (Asio otus)
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum)
Red Knot (Calidris canutus)