Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 facts for kids

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is an important law in the United Kingdom. It was created to help protect nature and wildlife. This law makes sure that native animals and plants are safe. It also stops new, non-native species from being released into the wild. The Act is divided into four main parts. In the UK, it is generally against the law to kill most mammals and almost all birds. However, there are some special exceptions for certain types of animals or specific reasons.

Getting Permission to Act

General licenses are like special permissions given each year by the Department for Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in England. This department can give a license to kill or disturb certain birds. They also offer a general license. This general license allows an "authorised person" to act. An authorised person is someone who has permission from the landowner. They can kill certain birds, or destroy their eggs or nests. This is only allowed if there is no other way to solve a problem caused by these birds.

Why Licenses Are Needed

The table below shows some birds and the reasons why they might be controlled under a license. A green check mark means that reason is allowed for that bird.

Common name	Scientific name	To prevent the spread of disease1	To help conserve wild birds	To preserve public health or public safety
Canada Goose	Branta Canadensis
Crow	Corvus corone
Dove, Collared	Streptopelia decaocto
Gull, Great Black-backed	Larus marinus
Gull, Herring	Larus argentatus
Gull, Lesser Black-backed	Larus fuscus
Jackdaw	Corvus monedula
Jay	Garrulus glandarius
Magpie	Pica pica
Pigeon, Feral	Columba livia
Rook	Corvus frugilegus
Woodpigeon	Columba palumbus

¹or to prevent serious damage to livestock or damage to foodstuffs for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber, fisheries or inland waters.