Bird Friendly Communities
Tree Trimming
Sea and Sage Audubon Society Protection of Nesting Birds
“Sea and Sage Audubon Society’s Mission is to protect birds, other wildlife, and their habitats through education, citizen science, research, and public policy advocacy”.
To meet these goals, we fully support laws, policies, and sensible management practices that protect birds and their nests from harm, harassment, damage and destruction, especially during the nesting season.
Sea and Sage’s Tree Trimming Policy
Sea and Sage Audubon Society advocates that the best way to protect birds, their nests, and their habitats is to avoid tree trimming and major landscape projects during the breeding season (roughly March 15 through August 15). We share our gardens, landscapes, parks, greenbelts, and open spaces with wild creatures, and if we want preserve nature for them, and especially for birds, we must provide sanctuaries for their most basic needs.
Scientists estimate that in the last 50 years bird populations world-wide have declined by a third, or nearly 300 million birds. The reasons are many and complicated, but part of the decline is caused by human-related disturbances to breeding birds and the outright destruction of nests.
Every year, untimely tree trimming and other outdoor projects impact birds and other animals when they are the most vulnerable. Despite our best efforts to avoid impacting nests, it is almost impossible to trim trees or conduct major landscape work during the breeding season without impacting breeding success. Birds are intentionally secretive about where they build their nests so that nests are hard to find, even for trained specialists and arborists. There are hundreds of species of birds in Southern California using a wide variety of strategies to hide their nests. They can be built deep in trees or out on the edges, inside shrubs, in the grass, on the ground, on cliffs, and on manmade structures. They range in composition from stick nests to cavities to simple scrapes in the sand. They come in all different sizes, from very small, well-camouflaged nests to large, obvious structures. They can be found in every landscape and habitat in Southern California. There are just too many possibilities to avoid them all when trimming or removing trees and other landscape features.
Trimming during the breeding season not only risks the outright destruction of occupied nests, it also reduces the resources birds and other wildlife need to survive and breed successfully. Dense trees and shrubs are necessary commodities for birds, especially during the breeding season. Thinning or completely removing important trees and habitats during the breeding season, even in yards and urban areas, can be just as damaging as cutting down the nest.
For these reasons Sea and Sage promotes conducting tree trimming and major landscape work outside the breeding season whenever possible.
Best Management Practices
These guidelines for management practices will help protect and benefit birds and keep your trees, gardens and landscapes healthy.
Inspect and Survey for Nests. It is imperative to inspect trees and landscapes prior to trimming or doing major landscape work. Most birds in Southern California breed between February 15 and August 15, with a peak in activity between March 15 and June 15, but many species start early or go later, and a few species such as hummingbirds and some owls can breed year-round. Always look for birds and nests before working. If needed, especially in sensitive habitats or where sensitive birds might nest, consider hiring a trained ornithologist or other bird expert to help survey for occupied nests.
Hire a Certified Arborist. It is always best to hire certified arborists that will help protect birds and the health of the trees and other habitats.
Trim Responsibly. In most cases trees and large shrubs should only be thinned (laced) and rarely or never topped or severely cut back. Trimming responsibly on a regular schedule, such as lacing every 3-4 years (during the fall) helps avoid over-cutting, allows for important regrowth of the tree, and helps retain breeding habitat for birds. A qualified arborist can help you design a well-balanced maintenance schedule that is best for your trees and the birds that use them.
Wildlife Friendly Trained Arborists and Landscapers. When possible, hire arborists that are specifically trained in best practices to protect birds and other wildlife. Tree Care for Birds and Other Wildlife promotes good tree care and can help you find specially trained arborists to help you protect birds and promote healthy trees and habitats.
Plant Bird Friendly Landscapes. Planting and maintaining gardens and landscapes that contain bird friendly trees and shrubs, including native plants, is important. Check with your local nursery to find trees and plants that are non-invasive, provide nectar and seeds and are drought tolerant. See Planting with Natives, visit Tree of Life Nursery for tips and the purchase of native plants, and visit Rogers Gardens in Newport Beach for help with designing bird friendly gardens. And remember, healthy and full trees provide much needed natural shade and cooling in a warming world.
Leave Cavities and Perches. When it is safe and feasible, try to leave snags and cavities for nesting and perching birds. Visit Cavity Conservation Initiative for more information
Trimming During the Breeding Season. While Sea and Sage Audubon Society does not promote tree trimming during the breeding season, we recognize that it does happen. When tree trimming or other significant landscape work is necessary and cannot wait until before or after the breeding season, it is imperative to inspect the trees and hire wildlife-friendly, certified arborists for the project. See Tree Care for Birds and Other Wildlife.
Laws Protecting Birds and Nests
There are many laws that protect birds and their nests from harm. Most of these laws are written to protect birds and their nests from intentional or negligent abuse. Both state and federal laws prohibit the destruction of birds, their nests, and eggs and chicks. Sea and Sage and others work to educate the public, landowners and tree care companies to be proactive and not break the law. It is important to do everything possible to let the right people know (landowners, property managers, city officials, etc.) about active nests in advance and before problems occur. Laws and regulations protecting birds include the following:
- Migratory Bird Treaty Act “The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) prohibits the take (including killing, capturing, selling, trading, and transport) of protected migratory bird species without prior authorization by the Department of Interior U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.”
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California State Code 3503 “It is unlawful to take, possess, or needlessly destroy the nest or eggs of any bird, except as otherwise provided by this code or any regulation made pursuant thereto.”
- California State Code 3503.5 “It is unlawful to take, possess, or destroy any birds in the orders Falconiformes or Strigiformes (birds-of-prey) or to take, possess, or destroy the nest or eggs of any such bird except as otherwise provided by this code or any regulation adopted pursuant thereto.”
If you think someone is trimming illegally or negligently, the most important thing to do is to try to inform the person in charge and try to help them stop the problem. If the problem continues, it is critical to document any suspected violations and report them to the proper authorities such as CDFW CalTIP.
Protections for Trees. While birds and active nests (a newly built nest or a nest occupied with eggs or chicks) are protected, the trees containing these nests are generally only protected by default because of the presence of an active nest. With few exceptions it is generally not illegal to trim or remove most trees when they do not contain active nests. In rare instances, historical nest trees used by sensitive species, or trees that are in themselves sensitive (such as coast live oaks) may be protected, but always check with local authorities such as the California Coastal Commission or local city managers.