Black Vulture Relief Act
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Would authorize livestock producers and their employees to capture, kill, or disperse black vultures threatening their animals without a federal permit — overriding the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which currently protects the birds and requires a permit before they can be taken.
Because obtaining FWS permits can be time-consuming, proponents argue livestock producers need a faster, permit-free path to defend animals from black vultures, subject to an annual reporting requirement.
What this bill would do
What it would do
The bill would authorize livestock producers and their employees (collectively called "covered persons") to take black vultures — defined as capturing, killing, dispersing, or transporting carcasses — when they reasonably believe the birds are causing or will cause death, injury, or destruction to livestock. This authorization would operate notwithstanding the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which currently protects black vultures and requires a federal permit for any taking. The use of poison to take black vultures would remain explicitly prohibited.
Covered persons who take black vultures would be required to file an annual report with the appropriate U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Office by January 31 each year. They would not be obligated to report until after the FWS Director develops and posts a standardized reporting form on the agency's website — a task the Director would have 180 days from enactment to complete. That form may not be more burdensome than comparable forms already used under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act permit process.
Key provisions
- 1Would authorize covered persons to take black vultures — capture, kill, disperse, or transport carcasses — when they reasonably believe the bird is causing or will cause death, injury, or destruction to livestock, notwithstanding the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
- 2Would prohibit covered persons from taking or attempting to take black vultures through the use of poison.
- 3Would require covered persons who take black vultures to submit an annual report to the appropriate FWS Regional Office by January 31 each year.
- 4Would direct the FWS Director to develop and post a standardized reporting form on the FWS website within 180 days of enactment; the form may not be more onerous than existing MBTA permit forms.
Who would be affected
Livestock producers — farmers and ranchers who raise animals — and their employees who are actively engaged in livestock production. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would be assigned new administrative duties to develop and host the reporting form. Black vulture populations in areas where livestock operations are active could also be affected by the increased legal taking authority.
Why it matters
Under current law, livestock producers must navigate a FWS permit process before legally taking black vultures. This bill would eliminate that requirement for producers defending livestock, allowing immediate action based on a reasonable belief of harm. In exchange, producers would bear a lighter annual reporting obligation rather than the front-end burden of obtaining a permit.
What would change
Changes to existing law
Amends Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.) (Sec. 2(b))
Creates a permit-free exception allowing livestock producers and their employees to take black vultures threatening livestock, bypassing the Act's standard protections.
Agencies directed to act
Effective dates
- FWS Director must develop and post the annual reporting form
- Annual report due date for covered persons who took black vultures in the preceding 12 months
Funding and costs
Congressional Budget Office estimate
CBO estimates H.R. 2462 would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025–2030 period, with no effect on direct spending, revenues, or the deficit.
CBO estimates that H.R. 2462, the Black Vulture Relief Act, would have no effect on direct (mandatory) spending or revenues, leaving the deficit unchanged over the 2025–2035 scoring window. The only anticipated cost — less than $500,000 over 2025–2030 — would come from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service creating and maintaining an online form that livestock producers must complete each year they legally take (capture, kill, or disperse) black vultures; that spending would be subject to future appropriations (discretionary funding approved by Congress). CBO found no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates in the bill.
How implementation would work
Within 180 days of enactment, the FWS Director must design and post a reporting form on the FWS website; the form cannot be more burdensome than existing MBTA permitted-take forms. Once the form is available, any covered person who takes a black vulture under the new authority must file an annual report with their regional FWS office by January 31 of the following year. No rulemaking is required before producers may begin acting under the authorization, but reporting obligations do not kick in until the form is live.
Legislative status & sources
Latest action
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 286.
Official CRS summary
Show the CRS summaryHide the CRS summary
This bill allows livestock producers and their employees to take certain actions against black vultures to protect livestock. (Black vultures are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.)
Specifically, livestock producers and their employees may (1) take (i.e., capture, kill, or disperse, or transport the carcass of) a black vulture that they reasonably believe will cause death, injury, or destruction to livestock; or (2) in the course of taking or attempting to take the black vulture, cause injury to the bird. However, they may not take or attempt to take a black vulture through the use of poison.
Livestock producers and their employees must submit an annual report to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) on black vultures taken under this bill. The FWS must develop a reporting form and make this reporting form available on its website.
Currently, the FWS has a permit process under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act for the taking of black vultures.
Legislative subjects
Agriculture and Food; Animal protection and human-animal relationships; Birds; Livestock
Committee report
H. Rept. 119-334