Wildlife laws exist to protect animals from harm, even when they wander onto your property. Many creatures that visit your yard have special protections under Canadian law, making it illegal to disturb, harm, or remove them without permits. Knowing which animals are protected can help you avoid legal trouble while promoting conservation of our natural heritage.
This article provides general information about wildlife protection laws in Canada. Regulations may vary by province and territory, and laws can change. Always consult with local wildlife authorities before taking any action involving potentially protected species on your property.
1. Canada Goose
These iconic birds with distinctive black heads and white cheek patches are federally protected under the Migratory Birds Convention Act. The law prohibits hunting, capturing, killing, or disturbing these geese or their nests without special permits.
Even if they’re making a mess of your lawn, you cannot legally remove them. Penalties for violations can include hefty fines and even imprisonment in serious cases.
2. American Robin
The cheerful red-breasted robin hopping across your lawn is fully protected under the Migratory Birds Convention Act. Their nests, eggs, and young cannot be disturbed, even if built on your property.
Many homeowners don’t realize that moving a robin’s nest is illegal without proper authorization. These birds play vital roles in controlling insect populations and spreading seeds throughout neighborhoods.
3. Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
Marvel at these tiny marvels but remember they’re strictly protected by federal law. Ruby-throated hummingbirds, with their iridescent feathers and incredible hovering abilities, cannot be captured or kept as pets.
Their delicate nests, often no larger than a toonie, are legally protected even when built on your property. These remarkable birds migrate thousands of kilometers annually between Canada and Central America.
4. Barn Swallow
Recognized by their distinctive forked tails and acrobatic flight, barn swallows are listed as threatened under the Species at Risk Act. Their mud nests, often attached to buildings, cannot be removed during breeding season.
A single barn swallow can consume thousands of insects daily, providing natural pest control. Farmers once built special structures to attract these beneficial birds to their properties.
5. Common Nighthawk
Despite their name, these birds aren’t hawks but are related to whip-poor-wills. Common nighthawks are threatened in Canada, protected by federal law. They nest directly on gravel rooftops or bare ground without building actual nests.
Their distinctive ‘peent’ calls and booming dives make them neighborhood features. Urban development has significantly reduced suitable nesting habitat for these beneficial insect-eaters.
6. Great Blue Heron
Majestic and prehistoric-looking, great blue herons visiting backyard ponds are protected under the Migratory Birds Convention Act. Standing over a meter tall, these elegant waders cannot be harassed or disturbed while fishing in your water features.
Their massive stick nests are typically built in colonies called heronries. Some heronries have special protected status as sensitive wildlife habitat areas under provincial regulations.
7. Pileated Woodpecker
The crow-sized pileated woodpecker with its flaming red crest is protected under federal law. These magnificent birds cannot be harmed even when they drum on your house or excavate large rectangular holes in trees on your property.
Their abandoned nest cavities provide crucial habitat for many other wildlife species. Some homeowners install special woodpecker deterrents on buildings while preserving dead trees as natural habitat.
8. Monarch Butterfly
With their distinctive orange and black wings, monarch butterflies are listed as endangered in Canada. Federal protections make it illegal to collect or harm these insects or disturb their habitat without permits.
Monarchs depend on milkweed plants to complete their life cycle. Many conservation programs encourage homeowners to plant native milkweed varieties to support these remarkable migratory insects during their multi-generational journey.
9. Rusty-Patched Bumble Bee
Once common throughout eastern North America, the rusty-patched bumble bee is now endangered and legally protected. Identified by a distinctive rust-colored patch on its abdomen, this bee receives full federal protection.
Killing or capturing these bees, even accidentally through pesticide use, could violate wildlife laws. Gardeners can support recovery efforts by planting native wildflowers and avoiding pesticides in their yards.
10. Little Brown Myotis
This small bat species, devastated by white-nose syndrome, is now endangered and strictly protected. Finding little brown bats roosting in your attic or shed doesn’t give you the right to harm or evict them without proper permits.
Wildlife authorities can provide guidance on humane exclusion methods during non-breeding seasons. These bats consume thousands of mosquitoes nightly, providing valuable ecosystem services to your neighborhood.
11. Blanding’s Turtle
Recognizable by its bright yellow throat and helmet-shaped shell, the Blanding’s turtle is threatened or endangered depending on the province. These long-lived reptiles receive legal protection throughout their Canadian range.
Finding one crossing your yard doesn’t permit relocation without proper authorization. Conservation efforts include road crossing signs and artificial nesting sites to help these turtles that can live over 80 years in the wild.
