Page 1276 - Xmo Strata - Bulletin Archive

• have in one's possession or control any bird of a species occurring on Schedule 4 of the Act
unless registered, and in most cases ringed, in accordance with the Secretary of State's regulations
(see Schedules)
• Intentionally or recklessly disturb any wild bird listed on Schedule 1 while it is nest building, or
at a nest containing eggs or young, or disturb the dependent young of such a bird.
Fines

To reinforce the details above, the maximum penalty that can be imposed for an offence under the
Wildlife and Countryside Act - in respect of a single bird, nest or egg - is a fine of up to £5,000, and/or
six months' imprisonment.

Exceptions

There are some exceptions to the offences created by the Wildlife and Countryside Act, the most
notable of which are:
• An authorised person (e.g. a landowner or occupier) may kill or take, in certain situations and by
certain methods, so called 'pest species' and destroy or take the nest or eggs of such a bird. This is
permissible under the terms of General Licences issues by government departments (see Licences).
• It is not illegal to destroy a nest, egg or bird if it can be shown that the act was the incidental result
of a lawful operation which could not reasonably have been avoided.
• a person may kill or injure a wild bird, other than one included on Schedule 1, if they can show,
subject to a number of specific conditions, that their action was necessary to preserve public health
or air safety, prevent spread of disease, or prevent serious damage to livestock, crops, vegetables,
fruit, growing timber, or fisheries (contact Defra for more information).
• A person may take or kill (or injure in attempting to kill) a bird listed on Schedule 2, Part I, outside
the close season (see Schedules).
• A person may take a wild bird if the bird has been injured other than by their own hand and their
sole purpose is to tend it and then release it when no longer disabled. These provisions enable people
to care for sick, injured or orphaned birds. Additionally, a wild bird may be killed if it is so seriously
disabled as to be beyond recovery. Sick and injured birds listed on Schedule 4 should be registered
with Defra.

If it's urgent, please call the RSPB
• Birds and wildlife advice: 01767 693690 (office hours)

It’s often faster to take an animal to a wildlife rehabilitator yourself, as your nearest RSPCA officer may
be out of the area attending other calls. If you are unable to transport the bird, call 0300 1234 999.

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