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Title 16 — ConservationRelease 119-73

§706 Arrests; search warrants

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 7— - PROTECTION OF MIGRATORY GAME AND INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - MIGRATORY BIRD TREATY › § 706

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Interior Department employees the Secretary allows to enforce this law can arrest someone without a warrant if they see that person breaking it. They must take the person right away to an officer or court that can handle the case. They can also carry out warrants from a court, and with a search warrant they may search places. Federal judges and magistrates can issue these warrants if a sworn statement gives good reason to believe a violation occurred. Any birds, eggs, nests, or parts that were taken, sold, moved, imported, exported, or kept in violation of the law must be seized when found. If someone is convicted or a federal court finds the items were handled illegally, those items become property of the United States and the Secretary of the Interior will decide how to dispose of them.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §706

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Any employee of the Department of the Interior authorized by the Secretary of the Interior to enforce the provisions of this subchapter shall have power, without warrant, to arrest any person committing a violation of this subchapter in his presence or view and to take such person immediately for examination or trial before an officer or court of competent jurisdiction; shall have power to execute any warrant or other process issued by an officer or court of competent jurisdiction for the enforcement of the provisions of this subchapter; and shall have authority, with a search warrant, to search any place. The several judges of the courts established under the laws of the United States, and United States magistrate judges may, within their respective jurisdictions, upon proper oath or affirmation showing probable cause, issue warrants in all such cases. All birds, or parts, nests, or eggs thereof, captured, killed, taken, sold or offered for sale, bartered or offered for barter, purchased, shipped, transported, carried, imported, exported, or possessed contrary to the provisions of this subchapter or of any regulation prescribed thereunder shall, when found, be seized and, upon conviction of the offender or upon judgment of a court of the United States that the same were captured, killed, taken, sold or offered for sale, bartered or offered for barter, purchased, shipped, transported, carried, imported, exported, or possessed contrary to the provisions of this subchapter or of any regulation prescribed thereunder, shall be forfeited to the United States and disposed of by the Secretary of the Interior in such manner as he deems appropriate.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1978—Pub. L. 95–616 made provisions respecting seizures and judgment of court applicable to birds, or parts, nests, or eggs sold or offered for sale, bartered or offered for barter, purchased, imported and exported and substituted “any regulation prescribed thereunder” in two places for “any

Regulations

made pursuant thereto” and “any regulation made pursuant thereto” and provision for disposition of the birds, etc., by Secretary of the Interior in such manner as he deems appropriate for prior provision for such disposition as directed by court having jurisdiction.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

“United States magistrate judges” substituted for “United States magistrates” in text pursuant to section 321 of Pub. L. 101–650, set out as a note under section 631 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure. Previously, “United States magistrates” substituted in text for “United States commissioners” pursuant to Pub. L. 90–578. See chapter 43 (§ 631 et seq.) of Title 28.

Executive Documents

Enforcement

functions of Secretary or other official in Department of the Interior related to compliance with protection of certain birds under this subchapter with respect to pre-

Construction

,

Construction

, and initial operation of transportation system for Canadian and Alaskan natural gas transferred to Federal Inspector, Office of Federal Inspector for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System, until first anniversary of date of initial operation of Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System, see Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1979, §§ 102(e), 203(a), 44 F.R. 33663, 33666, 93 Stat. 1373, 1376, effective July 1, 1979, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. Office of Federal Inspector for the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System abolished and functions and authority vested in Inspector transferred to Secretary of Energy by section 3012(b) of Pub. L. 102–486, set out as an Abolition of Office of Federal Inspector note under section 719e of Title 15, Commerce and Trade. Functions and authority vested in Secretary of Energy subsequently transferred to Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects by section 720d(f) of Title 15.

Transfer of Functions

of Secretary of Agriculture to Secretary of the Interior by Reorg. Plan No. II of 1939, see

Transfer of Functions

note set out under section 701 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 706

Title 16 — Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73