Collection

Bird licences

Licences for activities affecting birds.

Published 13 October 2014
Last updated 26 April 2019 — see all updates

• From: Natural England and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

Keep and exhibit birds

1. Birds: licence to show them without the correct rings (A21 and LR21)
   • 14 April 2015
   • Form
2. Birds: licence to keep them in show cages for training (GL16)
   • 1 January 2019
   • Form
3. Wild birds: licence to show captive bred birds competitively (GL14)
   • 1 January 2019
   • Form

Kill, take or disturb birds

1. Birds: licence to catch them on food premises (CL03)
   • 1 January 2019
   • Form
2. Birds: licence to kill or take them for air safety purposes (CL12)
   • 3 January 2019
   • Form
3. Canada geese: licence to kill or take them for public health and safety (GL28)
   • 13 May 2019
   • Form
4. Carrion crows: licence to kill or take them to prevent serious damage to livestock (GL26)
   • 13 May 2019
   • Form
5. Gulls: licence to control them to conserve other birds (A36 and LR36)
   • 15 April 2015
   • Form
6. Hen harriers: licence to feed them on grouse moors (CL25)
   • 1 January 2019
   • Form
7. Mallard ducks: licence to take eggs and rear and release chicks (GL13)
   • 1 January 2019
   • Form
8. Ruddy ducks: licence to kill or take them (GL21)
   • 1 January 2019
   • Form
9. Wild birds: apply for a licence to disturb them for photography (A28)
   • 17 July 2015
   • Form
10. Wild birds: apply for a licence to disturb them for science (A27)
    • 17 July 2015
    • Form
11. Wild birds: apply for a licence to kill wild birds for falconry (A41 and LR41)
    • 14 April 2015
    • Form
12. Wild birds: licence to control certain species
    • 17 May 2019
    • Form
13. Wild birds: licence to disturb, kill or take for science (A33 and LR33)
    • 17 July 2015
    • Form
14. Wild birds: licence to kill, take or disturb to prevent disease or agricultural damage, for conservation, or public health and safety (A08 and LR08)
    • 25 April 2019
    • Form
15. Wild birds: licence to remove abandoned or unsuccessful eggs (GL12)
    • 1 January 2019
    • Form
16. Wild birds: report actions taken for science or photography
    • 6 February 2018
    • Form
17. Woodpigeons: licence to kill or take them to prevent serious damage to crops (GL31)
    • 13 May 2019
    • Form

Protect fisheries

1. Cormorants: group licence to kill or take them to prevent damage to fisheries
   • 11 July 2017
   • Form
2. Licence for an individual to protect their fishery from fish-eating birds (A06 and A07)
   • 16 July 2015
   • Form

Sell birds and eggs

1. Black headed gulls: licence for retailers and restaurateurs to sell eggs (GL23)
   • 1 January 2019
   • Form
2. Black-headed gulls: licence to sell eggs for human consumption (A22 and LR22)
   • 14 April 2015
   • Form
3. Mealy redpoll: licence to sell and exhibit ringed mealy redpoll (GL15)
   • 1 January 2019
   • Form
4. Wild birds: licence to sell captive bred live wild birds (GL18)
   • 1 January 2019
   • Form
5. Wild birds: licence to sell dead wild birds (GL17)
   • 1 January 2019
   • Form
6. Wild birds: licence to sell them without the correct rings (A20 and LR20)
   • 14 April 2015
   • Form

Treat and rehabilitate birds

1. Wild birds: licence for vets to rehabilitate them (GL08)
   • 1 January 2019
   • Form
2. Wild birds: licence to keep them for rehabilitation (GL07)
   • 1 January 2019
   • Form

Other licences

1. Barn owls: licence to survey them to guide future development work (CL29)
   • 1 January 2019
   • Form
2. Non-native species: apply for a licence to release them (A03 and LR03)
   • 8 December 2017
   • Form
3. Wild birds: licence to incubate and rear their eggs and chicks (GL11)
   • 1 January 2019
   • Form
4. Wild birds and animals: licence to possess samples (GL10)
   • 1 January 2019
   • Form
5. Wild birds and animals: licence to release certain schedule 9 species (GL22)
   • 30 April 2019
   • Form

Published 13 October 2014
Last updated 26 April 2019 + show all updates

1. 26 April 2019 Added the general licence (GL26) for killing or taking carrion crows.
2. 25 April 2019 Added 'Wild birds: licence to control certain species'. Removed licences GL04, GL05 and GL06.
3. 13 October 2014 First published.