Information
August 1 to January 31 is the recommended window for vegetation work and habitat impacts. February 1 to July 31 is the bird nesting window when habitat disturbing activities should be avoided. Find the Environmental Services procedure for when a bird nest survey is required.
A bird nest survey is required.
- City Capital Improvement Projects. If the project is subject to Standard Construction Specifications and the Bureau of Environmental Services' Special Provisions, then a survey is required. This includes work done under a formal capital improvement project contract managed by Environmental Services construction management and planning/design phase work (often managed through Environmental Services Revegetation program).
- Tree Removal: Trees greater than 12 inches in diameter at breast height (DBH). Learn how to measure DBH. For trees from 6 to 12 inches DBH, contact the Environmental Services Birds and Bird Nesting program for assistance with evaluation on a case-by-case basis. Contact information is on this page.
- Treatment areas including herbicide treatment. If the treatment area is greater than or equal to 5,000 square feet or 0.11 acres, a survey is required.
A bird nest survey isn't required.
In these instances a bird nest survey is not required. However, the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act prohibits the intentional or accidental killing of native birds or destruction of their nests. Environmental Services Birds and Bird Nesting program are available to perform surveys even when not required, if a site manager thinks bird nest impacts are possible. Contact information is on this page.
- Access maintenance for roadside, trail, or fence line maintenance. No survey is required when the purpose of the access maintenance is to cut back vegetation that is encroaching or will encroach on an access route, trail, fence, or road. This includes fence line and property line cutbacks for fire hazard reduction.
- Tree pruning.
- Tree removal. When the tree is less than 6 inches DBH, no survey is required.
- Treatment areas. When the treated area is less than 5,000 square feet, no survey is required.
For more information, consult Protecting Nesting Birds: Best Management Practices for Vegetation and Construction Projects — found in the Resources section of this page.