Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is an law for environmental conservation made by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It protects native species and restricts the release of non-native species into the wild. The Act is split into four parts. Killing most mammals and almost all birds is illegal in the United Kingdom, except for certain types and for certain reasons.

Licenses
General licences under the act to hunt birds are issued each year by the Department for Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in England. The Department can give a licence to kill or disturb birds. It also gives out a general licence. This allows any "authorised person", that is someone who has the landowner's permission, to kill certain birds, or to destroy their eggs or nests, if there is no other way to get rid of the birds.

This table shows the name of the bird, and the reasons (15px|alt=Marked with a tick|link=) that type of bird can be destroyed.

Common nameScientific nameTo prevent the spread of disease1To help conserve wild birdsTo preserve public health or public safetyCanada Goose  Branta Canadensis  15px  15px  15pxCrow  Corvus corone  15px  15px  15pxDove, Collared  Streptopelia decaocto  15px  15px  15pxGull, Great Black-backed  Larus marinus  15px  15px  15pxGull, Herring  Larus argentatus  15px  15px  15pxGull, Lesser Black-backed  Larus fuscus  15px  15px  15pxJackdaw  Corvus monedula  15px  15px  15pxJay  Garrulus glandarius  15px  15px  15px  Magpie  Pica pica  15px  15px  15pxPigeon, Feral  Columba livia  15px  15px  15pxRook  Corvus frugilegus  15px  15px  15pxWoodpigeon  Columba palumbus  15px  15px  15px
1or to prevent serious damage to livestock or damage to foodstuffs for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber, fisheries or inland waters.

Other websites
Official text of the Act

Category:1981 in the United Kingdom
Category:1980s Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Category:United Kingdom-related lists