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Bird licences - Preventing serious damage....

The Wildlife and Countryside Act allows licences to be granted in respect of wild birds for the purpose of;

'preventing serious damage to livestock, foodstuffs for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber, fisheries or inland waters'.

Piscivorous (fish-eating) birds

Scottish Natural Heritage can grant licences to permit the killing or taking of wild birds for the purpose of preventing serious damage to fisheries. Evidence of serious damage occurring, or likely to occur, must be provided before consideration will be given to granting a licence. Licences to shoot piscivorous birds are granted only where there is no other satisfactory solution. When assessing licence applications for this purpose we consult with Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) and Marine Scotland. 

Guidance notes for salmon and sea trout fisheries  PDF document - Licencing arrangements for shooting birds to prevent serious damage to fisheries.

Guidance notes for fish farms  PDF document - Licencing arrangements for shooting birds to prevent serious damage to fisheries.

Guidance notes for stocked fisheries  PDF document - Licencing arrangements for shooting birds to prevent serious damage to fisheries.

Licence application  Word document to shoot fish-eating birds for the purpose of preventing serious damage to fisheries.

Geese

It is illegal to shoot Canada, greylag and pink-footed geese during the close season (from 1 February to 31 August or from 21 February to 31 August if below the high water mark) unless you have a licence to shoot these species as part of an overall scaring regime. Before considering a licence application, Scottish Natural Heritage will have to be satisfied that you have tried other scaring techniques and found them insufficient. Licences to shoot geese are  granted only when there is no other satisfactory solution. When considering licence applications of this kind we work closely with, and rely on advice from, Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate (SGRPID)

Guidance:

Licences:

Ravens

Scottish Natural Heritage can grant licences to permit the killing or taking of wild birds for the purpose of preventing serious damage to livestock. Evidence of serious damage occurring, or likely to occur, must be provided before consideration will be given to granting a licence. Before considering a licence application, Scottish Natural Heritage will have to be satisfied that you have tried other scaring techniques and found them insufficient. Licences to shoot ravens are granted only where there is no other satisfactory solution. When considering licence applications of this kind we work closely with, and rely on advice from, Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate (SGRPID).  

Licence application  Word document  to shoot ravens. 

Other bird species

Guidance:

Notes  PDF document  for applying for a licence to take or kill wild birds, their nest or eggs including the use of prohibited methods of taking or killing.  

Licences:

Licence application  Word document to take or kill wild birds, their nest or eggs including the use of prohibited methods of taking or killing.

Licence application  Word document to kill wild birds in course of falconry.

Is the scenario you are looking for covered in the above? If not just ask .