Apply for a bird licence
Science, research, education, surveys or photography
You can apply for a licence for the purpose of:
- science, education, research, surveys, photography
- ringing or marking or examining any ring or mark (non Schedule 1 birds)
Download the application form for scientific, research, education, surveys or photography.
Your application must contain two references from specialists familiar with your work. Download the reference template.
Ring, mark or nest record Schedule 1 birds
If you need a licence to nest record, ring or mark wild Schedule 1 birds you must apply to the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).
Bird control
You can apply for a licence to control birds to:
- preserve public health and public safety
- prevent spread of disease
- prevent serious damage to livestock, foodstuffs for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit and growing timber
- conserve wild birds
- conserve flora and fauna
- protect any collection of wild birds
Download the application form for a licence to control birds.
Preserve air safety
Download the application form for the licence to control birds to preserve air safety.
Fisheries and fish-eating birds
To apply for a licence to control fish-eating birds, to prevent serious damage to fisheries, you need to complete our fish-eating birds licence application form.
Prior to making your application, you will need to collect data on the frequency of fish predation, and the number of birds involved.
For small still waters (under 20 hectares), please collect the supporting data using the bird observation log for small still waters. The data will need to be collected between November and February each year and must consist of 10 or more site visits dated at least three days apart.
For rivers and large still waters (over 20 hectares), please collect the supporting data using the bird observation log for riverine and large still waters.
Falconry and aviculture
Download the application form for a licence to kill wild birds for falconry.
Public exhibition or competition
Taxidermy
Find out what licence for taxidermy you may need.
Charges
Find out how much we charge for a bird licence application.
Timescales
Find out how long it takes us to process bird licence applications.