Keeping a native crow as a pet is not legal anywhere in the United States, and pet crow legality is one of the more misunderstood corners of federal wildlife law. The American crow and every other native corvid are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issues no permit category that authorizes private pet ownership. The only lawful way to live with a corvid is to acquire a non-native species, such as a white-necked raven, from a licensed exotic bird breeder, and even that path is restricted or banned outright in many states.
Why Native Crows Are Federally Off-Limits
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) prohibits capturing, possessing, selling, trading, or transporting any protected migratory bird without a permit from the USFWS.1U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 It was enacted in 1918 to implement conservation treaties with Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Russia. The Act covers parts, nests, and eggs as well as whole birds. Picking up a crow feather off the ground is technically a federal violation.
The American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) is listed by name under 50 CFR 10.13, the federal regulation identifying every species the MBTA protects.2eCFR. 50 CFR 10.13 – List of Birds Protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act Every native corvid found in the United States is on that list. The law makes no distinction between a live bird and a dead one, and it applies whether you captured the bird yourself or bought it from someone else.
Penalties for Illegal Possession
The consequences are real. Under 16 U.S.C. ยง 707, a standard MBTA violation is a federal misdemeanor carrying a fine of up to $15,000, up to six months in jail, or both. Selling or offering to sell a protected bird escalates the charge to a felony with a fine of up to $2,000 and up to two years of imprisonment.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 16 USC 707 – Violations and Penalties
Moving an illegally possessed crow across state lines also triggers the Lacey Act. Lacey Act felonies carry fines up to $20,000 and up to five years in prison, and even a due-care misdemeanor can mean a $10,000 fine and a year behind bars. Violators can also lose any equipment used in the offense.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 16 USC 3373 – Penalties and Sanctions
State penalties layer on top. Most states have their own wildlife possession statutes, and a single act of illegal possession can draw prosecution at both the federal and state level.
Federal Permits and Why None Cover a Pet Crow
The USFWS issues more than 20 types of migratory bird permits, but none authorize keeping a crow as a personal pet.5U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Migratory Bird Permit Types and Forms The available categories include scientific collecting, rehabilitation, educational display, and depredation control.6eCFR. 50 CFR Part 21 – Migratory Bird Permits Each serves a specific conservation or management purpose, and applicants must demonstrate a qualifying need.
The rehabilitation permit is the one people ask about most, because it allows temporary possession of sick, injured, or orphaned birds. The requirements are demanding: at least 18 years old, with a minimum of 100 hours of hands-on rehabilitation experience gained over at least one full year, working with the specific type of bird you plan to rehabilitate.7U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. 3-200-10b – Migratory Bird Rehabilitation The permit also does not let you keep the bird. Every recovered bird has to be released back into the wild, and you cannot hold any bird longer than 180 days without special approval from your Regional Migratory Bird Permit Office. A bird that cannot be released goes to an educational facility, not to your home.
Educational display permits are for institutions such as zoos and nature centers, not individuals looking for a companion animal. Every federal permit also requires that you comply with your state’s wildlife regulations, which are often stricter than federal law.
Hunting Seasons and Depredation Orders Are Not a Loophole
Federal regulations allow states to establish crow hunting seasons of up to 124 days per calendar year, excluding the peak nesting period. Hunters may take crows using firearms, bow and arrow, or falconry.8eCFR. 50 CFR 20.133 – Hunting Regulations for Crows A separate federal depredation order allows lethal control of crows without a permit when they cause serious crop damage, create a health hazard, or threaten endangered species, though nonlethal methods must be attempted first each calendar year.9eCFR. 50 CFR 21.150 – Depredation Order for Blackbirds, Cowbirds, Crows, Grackles, and Magpies
Neither provision authorizes capturing and keeping a live crow. Hunting seasons permit taking, possessing, and transporting crows killed during the season. The depredation order permits lethal control under specific circumstances. Possessing a live native crow at home remains illegal regardless of how or when you acquired it.
The One Legal Path: Non-Native Corvids
A handful of corvid species not native to the United States fall outside the MBTA’s protection. The white-necked raven (Corvus albicollis), native to eastern and southern Africa, appears on the USFWS list of bird species to which the MBTA does not apply.10Federal Register. List of Bird Species To Which the Migratory Bird Treaty Act Does Not Apply The pied crow (Corvus albus), also native to Africa, is not on the MBTA’s protected species list either. Owning one of these birds does not violate federal migratory bird law.
Federal clearance is only the first hurdle. State and local exotic animal laws vary widely. Some states require exotic animal permits, others ban private possession of any non-domesticated bird species, and many have county-level restrictions on top of state rules. Verify your specific state and municipality’s regulations before pursuing this option. Depending on the jurisdiction, expect permit fees, facility inspections, and liability insurance or surety bond requirements.
Acquiring a non-native corvid typically means working with a specialized exotic bird breeder inside the United States. The market is small. Expect to pay at least several hundred dollars for a hand-raised bird, with prices varying based on species, age, and breeder. These are not birds you will find at a typical pet store or avian rescue.
Importing a Non-Native Corvid From Abroad
Importing a non-native corvid brings in a separate federal regime under the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). For five or fewer pet birds, you need a USDA import permit applied for at least seven business days before shipping, a veterinary export health certificate issued or endorsed by the exporting country’s government veterinarian, and a port inspection by a USDA veterinarian at your first U.S. port of entry.11Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Bring Five or Fewer Pet Birds into the United States
All imported pet birds must undergo a 30-day quarantine with mandatory testing for highly pathogenic avian influenza and Newcastle disease. Quarantine takes place at a federal quarantine facility unless you are returning with a U.S.-origin bird from an avian-flu-free country. You bear all costs for inspection, quarantine, and laboratory testing. Pet birds from Mexico cannot enter through a land border port at all.
If You Find an Injured Crow
Finding a sick or injured crow does not create an exception that lets you keep it. Federal regulations do address the situation: any person who finds a sick, injured, or orphaned migratory bird may take temporary possession of it without a permit, but only for the purpose of immediately transporting it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or veterinarian.12eCFR. 50 CFR 21.76 – Rehabilitation Permits That narrow window is the full extent of what the law allows.
Holding the bird at your home while it recovers, even with good intentions, crosses into illegal possession. Contact your state wildlife agency or search the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association directory for a permitted rehabilitator in your area. If you cannot reach one immediately, a licensed veterinarian can accept the bird and arrange a transfer.