You may have noticed signs at the entrance to our community indicating we are a bird sanctuary.  But what does that mean?  It simply means that many birds really like it here (as do many people), so you are likely to find them nesting, raising their young, and enjoying life in GH-CP.  We are also home to many different types of migrating birds and flocks that fly south and north with the changing seasons.  This is a preferred area for birds because of the variety of wetlands, marshes, ponds, and creeks that can support both year-round and migrating bird species.

With the advent of so much new home construction which requires land clearing, questions have arisen regarding the loss of habitat for some birds.  If we are a sanctuary, don’t they deserve protection?  Yes, they might.  If a builder has a Land Disturbing Permit posted, that indicates someone at Westmoreland County Land Use has determined it was okay to issue the permit.  If you or someone else thinks the permit was issued in error, the appropriate action is to first contact the County Land Use Office to report your observations and concerns.  If the response to your complaint is unsatisfactory, the permit decision can then be appealed to the State Land Use Agency.  In any event, do not contact or threaten the landowner over what is happening on his/her private property if a Land Disturbing Permit has been posted.

There are some birds that have specific protection and others do not.  Typically, eagles, ospreys, and some falcons, are federally protected and the appropriate channel for reporting any disturbance affecting these birds is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  Do not disturb these birds or their nests!  On the other hand, starlings, pigeons, and crows are not protected species.

Because of the number of herons and swans in this area, we also receive questions about whether these two species are protected. Herons are protected birds under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), which prohibits hunting, killing, trading, possession, import, and export of migratory birds, including herons, without proper authorization.  However, the MBTA does not provide any protections for swans, which are not specifically mentioned in the results [cited from U.S. Fish and Wildlife website]. There are also many other migratory bird species that are protected.  For a list of birds protected under the MBTA of 2023, click on this link from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  https://www.fws.gov/media/list-birds-protected-migratory-bird-treaty-act-2023

Key contact numbers:

Westmoreland Land Use at 804-493-0120

VA Department of Wildlife Resources at 804-367-1000.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Resources at 804-333-1470.

posted 07.29.25