Black Vulture Relief Act

Full Title:
Black Vulture Relief Act of 2025

Summary#

This bill, the Black Vulture Relief Act of 2025, would allow certain people to take black vultures (Coragyps atratus) when the birds are causing or are reasonably expected to cause death, injury, or destruction to livestock. "Covered persons" are livestock producers and employees actively engaged in livestock production. "Take" is defined to include capturing, killing, dispersing, or transporting a black vulture carcass. The bill says this authorization applies notwithstanding the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

The bill bars the use of poison to take black vultures. It requires covered persons who take a black vulture under the bill to submit a report each year, by January 31, to the appropriate U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Regional Office using a form the FWS Director must develop. The Director must make the form available on the FWS website within 180 days after the bill becomes law. The bill also says the form may not be more onerous than similar permitted-take forms under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act as of the date of enactment. A covered person does not have to submit a report until the Director provides the form.

What it means for you#

  • If you are a livestock producer or an employee actively working in livestock production, this bill would let you capture, kill, disperse, or transport a black vulture that is causing or you reasonably believe will cause harm to livestock. You may not use poison to do this.
  • If you take a black vulture under this authorization, you must complete and send an annual report (by January 31) to the appropriate FWS Regional Office once the required form is available.
  • The FWS Director must provide the reporting form on the agency website within 180 days of enactment. Until that form exists, you are not required to submit reports under the bill.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on costs or funding is included in the bill text or provided metadata. The bill requires the FWS Director to develop and publish a reporting form within 180 days, but it does not specify funding or cost estimates for that work.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information on proponents' stated reasons or arguments is included in the bill text or provided metadata.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information on opponents' stated reasons or arguments is included in the bill text or provided metadata.