List for birds

The best thing to do is go to your state DNR website and look for what can be legally hunted in that state. Usually very few in number. All "upland birds", grouse, pheasants, etc. should be legal. Ducks and geese are legal IF you have a federal taxidermy permit. Eagles, hawks, falcons, etc. and ALL songbirds are ILLEGAL to do without a special scientific permit. (Lots of paperwork!) Europian starlings are legal where I live, as are crows during the established hunting season. If you apply for a federal permit, they provide you with a list of all birds that are considered migratory and illegal to do. Hope this helps. If you are not sure, CHECK! You are not allowed to even pick up a protected bird, and if you are a taxidermist with any of these birds in your possession, you will be in BIG TROUBLE if caught. Good Luck.

 

Be careful about upland birds. Some of the prarie grouse (sharptails, sage grouse, prarie chickens) are strictly protected in certain areas. Since they don't migrate, they are controlled by state laws and those laws can vary tremendously.

If you can buy a bird at a pet shop or at a domestic poultry sale it is normally safe to mount and posses it without permits. The same goes for starlings and English house sparrows. Otherwise, even for legally taken (or purchased) gamebirds and waterfowl, you will very likely need a state taxidermy license as well as a migratory bird permit if you mount anything for other people.