Bill Text: IL HB5309 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Amends the Wildlife Code. Specifies that the mute swan (Cygnus olor) is not a migratory game bird that is to be protected by the Code.

Sponsorship: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)

Status: (Passed) 2026-08-07 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0794 [HB5309 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HB5309-Enrolled.html

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HB5309 Enrolled LRB104 17098 BDA 30517 b
AN ACT concerning wildlife.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Wildlife Code is amended by changing
Section 2.2 as follows:
(520 ILCS 5/2.2) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.2)
Sec. 2.2. This Act shall apply only to the wild birds and
parts of wild birds (including, but not limited to, their
nests and eggs), and wild mammals and parts of wild mammals,
which shall include their green hides, in the State of
Illinois, or which may be brought into the State.
Wildlife protected by this Act, hereby defined as
protected species, include the following wild species and all
wild species contained in listed families, including, but not
limited to, groups of wild species preceding each family name:
(except the House Sparrow, Passer domesticus; European
Starling, Sturnus vulgaris; and Rock Pigeon, Domestic Pigeon,
Columba livia; Eurasian Collared Dove, Streptopelia decaocto;
Ringed Turtle-Dove, Streptopelia roseogrisea; Purple Swamphen,
Porphyrio porphyio; or Muscovy Duck, Cairina moschata). GAME
BIRDS-Ruffed grouse, Bonasa umbellus; Sharp-tailed grouse,
Tympanuchus phasianellus; Northern Bobwhite, Colinus
virginianus; Gray Partridge, Perdix perdix; Chukar, Alectoris

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chukar; Ring-necked Pheasant, Phasianus colchicus; Greater
Prairie Chicken, Tympanuchus cupido; Wild Turkey, Meleagris
gallopavo. MIGRATORY GAME BIRDS-Waterfowl including brant,
ducks, geese, and swans (except Cygnus olor), Anatidae; wild
species of the families Rallidae (Virginia Rails and Sora
Rails), Scolopacidae (Wilson's Snipe and Woodcock), Columbidae
(Mourning Dove and White-winged Dove), and Corvidae that may
be legally hunted as provided for in Section 2.18 of this Act.
RESIDENT AND MIGRATORY NON-GAME BIRDS-Loons, Gaviidae; grebes,
Podicipedidae; pelicans, Pelecanidae; gannets, Sulidae;
cormorants, Phalacrocoracidae; anhingas, Anhingidae;
frigatebirds, Fregatidae; herons, bitterns and egrets,
Ardeidae; ibises and spoonbills, Threskiornithidae; storks,
Ciconiidae; vultures, Cathartidae; kites, hawks, ospreys, and
eagles, Accipitridae; falcons, merlins, and kestrels,
Falconidae; rails, gallinules, and moorhens, which may not be
legally hunted, Rallidae (unless listed as a migratory game
bird); cranes, Gruidae; all shorebirds that may not be legally
hunted, of the families Charadriidae, Scolopacidae (unless
listed as a migratory game bird), and Recurvirostridae gulls,
terns, jaegers, skimmers, and kittiwakes, Laridae; dovekies
and murrelets, Alcidae; doves and pigeons, which may not be
legally hunted, Columbidae (unless listed as a migratory game
bird); cuckoos and anis, Cuculidae; owls, Tytonidae and
Strigidae; whip-poor-wills, chuck-will's-widows, and
nighthawks, Caprimulgidae; swifts, Apodidae; hummingbirds,

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Trochilidae, Kingfishers, Alcedinidae; woodpeckers, flickers,
and sapsuckers, Picidae; kingbirds, pewees, phoebes, and
flycatchers, Tyrannidae shrikes, Laniidae; vireos, Vireonidae;
magpies, ravens, and jays, Corvidae; larks, Alaudidae;
swallows and martins, Hirundinidae; chickadees and titmice,
Paridae; nuthatches, Sittidae; creepers, Certhiidae; wrens,
Troglodytidae; kinglets, Regulidae; gnatcatchers, Sylviidae;
robins, bluebirds, solitaires, veerys, and thrushes, Turdidae;
mockingbirds, catbirds, and thrashers, Mimidae; pipits,
Motacillidae; waxwings, Bombycillidae; warblers, parulas,
redstarts, ovenbirds, waterthrushes, yellowthroats, and chats,
Parulidae; tanagers, Thraupidae; towhees, longspurs, sparrows,
buntings, and juncos, Emberizidae; dickcissels, cardinals,
buntings, and grosbeaks, Cardinalidae; blackbirds,
meadowlarks, bobolinks, grackles, cowbirds, and orioles,
Icteridae; grosbeaks, finches, crossbills, redpolls, and
siskins, Fringillidae. GAME MAMMALS-Woodchuck, Marmota monax;
Gray squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis; Fox squirrel, Sciurus
niger; Eastern cottontail, Sylvilagus floridanus; Swamp
rabbit, Sylvilagus aquaticus; White-tailed deer, Odocoileus
virginianus. FUR-BEARING MAMMALS-Muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus;
Beaver, Castor canadensis; Raccoon, Procyon lotor; Opossum,
Didelphis virginiana; Least weasel, Mustela nivalis;
Long-tailed weasel, Mustela frenata; Mink, Mustela vison;
River otter, Lontra canadensis; Striped skunk, Mephitis
mephitis; Badger, Taxidea taxus; Red fox, Vulpes vulpes; Gray

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fox, Urocyon cinereoargenteus; Coyote, Canis latrans; Bobcat,
Lynx rufus. OTHER MAMMALS-Flying squirrel, Glaucomys volans;
Red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus; Eastern Woodrat,
Neotoma floridana; Golden Mouse, Ochrotomys nuttalli; Rice
Rat, Oryzomys palustris; Franklin's Ground Squirrel,
Spermophilus franklinii; Bats, Vespertilionidae; Gray wolf,
Canis lupus; American black bear, Ursus americanus; Cougar,
Puma concolor.
It shall be unlawful for any person at any time to take,
possess, sell, or offer for sale, propagate, or release into
the wild, any of these wild birds (dead or alive) and parts of
wild birds (including, but not limited to, their nests and
eggs), wild mammals (dead or alive) and parts of wild mammals,
including their green hides contrary to the provisions of this
Act. However, nothing in this Act shall prohibit bona-fide
public or state scientific, educational or zoological
institutions from receiving, holding, and displaying protected
species that were salvaged or legally obtained.
It shall be unlawful for any person to take any other
living wildlife animal not covered by this Act without the
permission of the landowner or tenant.
(Source: P.A. 103-23, eff. 1-1-24.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
1, 2028.