R.I. Gen. Laws § 20-14-1: Birds protected.

(a) No person shall pursue, hunt with intent to kill, take, destroy, or have in his or her possession any wild bird or birds at any season of the year unless harvested or taken in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the director. Possession of any bird during the time when the taking of birds is prohibited shall be evidence that the bird was taken in violation of this section, and each bird possessed in violation of this section shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.

(b) This section shall not be construed to apply to any species of birds for which: (1) A federal depredation permit/order or a control permit/order has been issued in accordance with applicable federal law; or (2) A state depredation permit has been issued in accordance with § 20-14-1.1.