Executive Order 13186: Responsibilities of Federal Agencies To Protect Migratory Birds
President: Bill Clinton
Required federal agencies to integrate migratory-bird conservation into actions likely to affect bird populations.
Status: In effect.
Is Executive Order 13186 still in effect? Yes. Active federal migratory-bird conservation framework implemented through current agency agreements.
What does Executive Order 13186 do?
EO 13186 directs agencies whose actions may measurably harm migratory birds to enter memoranda of understanding with the Fish and Wildlife Service, avoid or minimize adverse effects, restore habitat and improve monitoring and education. Interior established the Council for the Conservation of Migratory Birds to coordinate implementation, and the Service continues to identify the order as current authority.
Claim-level review October 2, 2026: Current FWS materials and a 2024 interagency MOU continue to cite EO 13186. Those agreements do not waive the Migratory Bird Treaty Act or authorize taking birds.
Before and after
Before the order
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act governed take, while federal agencies lacked this uniform planning and partnership direction.
After the order
Covered agencies adopted conservation agreements and coordinated through a federal council.
Who had to do what
| Agency / office | Action | Timing / position |
|---|---|---|
| Federal agencies | Develop MOUs and integrate conservation into programs | Continuing |
| Fish and Wildlife Service | Provide technical support and coordinate the council | Continuing |
| Agencies with land or activity impacts | Monitor, avoid and minimize harm where practicable | Continuing |
What happened next
EO 13186 established agency duties.
Signed text, official disposition and the cited later implementation records for EO 13186 rechecked.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act, treaties, environmental-review law and agency statutes operate independently. The order directs internal management and expressly creates no enforceable private right.
Sources by type
If a source is unavailable, first check the cited publisher or another official repository. The cited publisher remains the authority.
Primary and official sources
Orders, laws, court records and official implementation material.
- GovInfo — EO 13186 (opens in a new tab) Order text
- FWS — 2024 migratory-bird MOU (opens in a new tab) Official record
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on October 2, 2026. How we research →