Statutory guidance

Licence to keep certain birds in show cages for training (GL16)

Updated 1 January 2024

Applies to England

General licence GL16: to permit the keeping of certain birds in show cages for training purposes.

Overview

This licence permits the keeping of certain birds in cages that do not meet legal minimum size requirements. This is to allow training for competitive exhibition. Users must comply with licence terms and conditions. Showing of captive bred live wild bird species and their hybrids is covered by a separate licence: WML-GL14.

Registration: Users do not need to register to use this licence.

Recording and reporting. None required.

Reference: WML – GL16.

Legislation

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) (‘the 1981 Act’)

Relevant section(s): Section 16(1)(f) and section 16(5).

Licence terms and conditions

Valid for the period: 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024 (inclusive).

Area valid in: All counties of England (landward of the mean low water mark).

Purpose for which this licence is issued: training of birds for public exhibition and competition.

What this licence permits

Subject to all the terms and conditions of this licence and solely for the purpose stated above, this licence permits Anyone to keep or confine any bird in a show cage the dimensions of which do not satisfy the requirements of section 8(1) of the 1981 Act. For the purposes of this licence, ‘any bird’ means those that were bred in captivity, are ringed or marked in accordance with regulations made by the Secretary of State and are either:

i) any wild bird listed on Schedule 3 Part 1 of the 1981 Act, or

ii) any bird (including hybrids) one of whose parents was a wild bird listed on Schedule 3 Part 1 of the 1981 Act, or

iii) any other captive bred and appropriately ringed wild bird or hybrid that is not included in Part I of Schedule 3 and is instead permitted to be exhibited publicly or shown competitively under licence; refer to the separate licence: WML-GL14

Who can use this licence

This licence can be used by Anyone, except those convicted on or after 1 January 2010 of a wildlife crime* - unless, in respect of that offence, either:

• they are a rehabilitated person for the purposes of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and their conviction is treated as spent, or
• a court has made an order discharging them absolutely

Any application by a person to whom this exclusion applies for an individual licence will be considered on its merits.

*: see Definitions

Definitions used in this licence

‘Wildlife crime’ means any offence under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, the Deer Act 1991, the Hunting Act 2004, the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996, the Animal Welfare Act 2006, or the Protection of Animals Act 1911 (all as amended) or the Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and Permitting) Order 2019.

Licence conditions

1. No bird shall be kept or confined in such a cage for longer than one hour in any period of 24 hours.
   
   
2. The minimum internal dimensions of the cage in which the bird is kept shall be:
   
   i. Height: 25.4cm
   
   ii. Breadth: 24.13cm
   
   iii. Depth: 11.43cm
   
   
3. This licence shall apply only to those species of birds whose showing for the purposes of any public exhibition or competition is not specifically prohibited by the 1981 Act, unless permitted under licence.
   
   
4. All relevant animal welfare legislation must be complied with at all times, including the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (see Information and advice note b).

Important

This licence authorises acts that would otherwise be offences under the legislation referred to above. Failure to comply with its terms and conditions:

i. may be an offence against the 1981 Act or mean that the licence cannot be relied upon and an offence could therefore be committed. The maximum penalty available for an offence under the 1981 Act is, at the time of the issue of this licence, an unlimited fine and/or a six month custodial sentence;

ii. may result in your permission to use this licence being withdrawn. Natural England will inform any person or organisation whose permission to use this licence is withdrawn in writing. This sanction may be applied to other similar licences, and

iii. may mean that you are not able to rely on this licence as a defence in respect to the prohibitions within the Animal Welfare Act 2006 or the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996.

If the activity that you wish to undertake is not covered by this licence, or if you are unable to comply with any of the terms and conditions which apply to the use of this licence, then you will need to apply to Natural England for an individual licence.

Issued by and on behalf of Natural England on 1 January 2024.

Information and advice for all class and general licences

General information

a. Ordinarily, licences will be reissued on 1 January each year. You do not need to re-register for those with registration requirements. Please note, however, that they can be modified or revoked at any time by Natural England or the Secretary of State, but this will not be done unless there are good reasons for doing so. You are advised to check the terms and conditions of a licence prior to your first use of it each year in case of amendments.

b. Persons acting under a licence should have regard to legislation and good practice relevant to the action(s) undertaken, including animal welfare and the Animal Welfare Act 2006. It is an offence to cause any unnecessary suffering to an animal (including birds) under the control of man (section 4 of the 2006 Act). This applies to the humane dispatch of captured animals and the treatment of animals held in traps or nets, including decoy birds and non-target animals. For advice on the relevance of the 2006 Act to wildlife management please refer to the Natural England leaflet The Animal Welfare Act 2006: what it means for wildlife.

The limits of licences

c. Licences permit action only for the purposes specified on that licence.

d. Licences do not permit actions prohibited under any other legislation, nor do they confer any right of entry upon land.

e. Unless otherwise stated the provisions of Natural England licences only apply landward of the mean low water mark in England. The Marine Management Organisation is responsible for all licensing seaward of the mean low water mark.

The law

f. Natural England has issued this licence in exercise of the powers conferred by the 1981 Act. Visit Legislation.gov.uk to view the full text of this legislation.

g. Section 16 of the 1981 Act provides that the offences in Part 1 of the 1981 Act shall not apply to anything done under and in accordance with the terms of a licence granted by the appropriate authority, which is, in England, Natural England.

Avian influenza (bird flu)  

Avian influenza (bird flu) is a notifiable animal disease. You should use the online service to report dead wild birds if you find:  

• 1 or more dead birds of prey (such as an owl, hawk or buzzard)  
• 3 or more dead birds that include at least 1 gull, swan, goose or duck  
• 5 or more dead wild birds of any species

Contact Natural England for licensing enquiries

Telephone: 020 802 61089

Email: wildlife@naturalengland.org.uk

Wildlife Licensing, Operations Delivery
Natural England
Horizon House
Deanery Road
Bristol
BS1 5AH

For other enquiries use the Enquiry Service.

Telephone: 0300 060 3900

Email: enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk

WML-GL16 [version January 2024]