Is it illegal to feed pigeons in Las Vegas?

Yes. Since October 2018, Las Vegas Municipal Code Chapter 7.38 makes it a misdemeanor to provide food — including bread crumbs, grain, seeds, and food scraps — to wild pigeons anywhere in the city, on public or private residential property. The maximum penalty is a $1,000 fine and six months in jail.

Why did Las Vegas ban feeding pigeons?

The city council passed the ban in 2018 over public-health concerns — pigeon droppings can carry histoplasmosis and other pathogens — and years of complaints about 'pigeon hoarders' in residential neighborhoods. Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian sponsored the ordinance, and it passed unanimously.

Can I feed birds in a Las Vegas park?

No. A separate 2020 city ordinance bans feeding all wildlife — pigeons, rabbits, even community cats — in city parks, recreational facilities, and public plazas. That version carries a $10 fine, but the citywide pigeon-feeding ban, with its $1,000/6-month maximum, applies everywhere in the city.

STILL THE LAW

It's Illegal to Feed Pigeons in Las Vegas

Las Vegas🐫 Animal LawsLVMC Ch. 7.38

Toss bread crumbs to the pigeons in Las Vegas and you've committed a misdemeanor carrying up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail. This one isn't a relic — the city council passed it unanimously in 2018.

Most entries in this project are antiques. Not this one. In October 2018, the Las Vegas City Council voted unanimously — on an ordinance sponsored by Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian — to ban feeding wild pigeons anywhere in the city. The push came from residential wards plagued by chronic 'pigeon hoarder' complaints, and from genuine health concerns: pigeon droppings can carry histoplasmosis and other pathogens. What sounds like a joke law is actually one of the newer public-health ordinances on the city's books.

The language in Chapter 7.38 is sweeping. It declares it 'unlawful and a public nuisance for any person to encourage the lingering, roosting or congregating of wild pigeons by providing food intended for ingestion by wild pigeons, whether on public property or private residential property.' And 'food' is defined to include 'grain, seeds, greens, bread crumbs, and miscellaneous food scraps' — so yes, the classic park-bench bread toss is squarely covered. Feeding under a city-granted permit is the only exemption. Clark County has a companion pigeon-control rule (CCC 10.36.035), and Henderson has parallel restrictions.

In November 2020, the city went further and banned feeding all wildlife — pigeons, rabbits, community cats — in city parks, recreational facilities, and public plazas, though that version carries only a $10 fine. The 2018 citywide pigeon ordinance is the one with teeth: a full misdemeanor. Enforcement is complaint-driven through code enforcement and animal protection officers. No tourist has been prosecuted for a stray french fry, but Las Vegas residents have genuinely been cited under the ordinance after neighbor complaints escalated into formal code-enforcement action.

What the Law Actually Says

LVMC Ch. 7.38

Read the official statute

Current Penalty

Misdemeanor — up to a $1,000 fine and up to 6 months in jail under the 2018 citywide ordinance. Feeding wildlife in a city park under the separate 2020 rule is a $10 fine.

Has Anyone Actually Been Cited?

Complaint-driven enforcement via code enforcement and animal protection. Residents have been cited after neighbor complaints; no known tourist prosecutions.

The Attorney's Take

Thomas Boley, Las Vegas Criminal Defense Attorney

“People laugh at this one until they realize it's a real misdemeanor — the same criminal classification as a first-offense DUI in terms of maximum jail time. Most pigeon cases resolve with a warning or small fine, but a misdemeanor conviction is still a criminal record, and it shows up on background checks. If code enforcement escalates a neighbor dispute into a citation, treat it like any criminal charge: don't just pay it without asking what it costs you later.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

Verified against the primary source: 2026-07-02