NJ town cracks down on bird feeders with new rules — and the state may follow

🐦 New Jersey town passes new rules on bird feeders

🐦 Fines can reach $1,000

🐦 Lawmakers want to impose statewide restrictions

RIDGEWOOD — To stop residents from feeding wildlife, a New Jersey town is enforcing new rules including restrictions on bird feeders.

The rules approved by the Ridgewood Village Council at last Wednesday's meeting apply year-round.

Each property is limited to three bird feeders. They must all be at least six feet off the ground and be equipped with a device to stop seeds from falling to the ground.

Any violation carries a minimum fine of $25 but a maximum of $1,000.

Some New Jerseyans aren't happy that the rules apply to public and private land within the village's 5.8 square miles.

"This Ordinance is about control over people, elimination of rights on your own property, separation from nature, and removal of people's stress relief," one state resident said on Facebook.

On X, a woman from North Jersey how it would be enforced.

"Will town employees be snooping around people’s backyards or will they just be relying on neighbors to rat each other out?" she said.

New Jersey bird feeder ban?

A bill moving through the state legislature (A360/S765) would implement even more restrictive rules on all New Jersey residents.

If signed into law, the bill would apply to all bird feeders on a seasonal basis. The goal is to keep feeders out of reach of black bears.

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From April through November, bird feeders would have to be suspended at least 10 feet off the ground. The area below the feeder would have to be clear of any seeds or food.

Every night, residents would have to empty their bird feeders and take them inside.

If a bear got into the bird feeder, the resident would have to fix whatever let the bear get to the feeder or remove it within 48 hours.

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