Decision

Natural England issues licences for taking peregrine falcons for falconry

Natural England has issued 3 licences to allow falconers to take peregrine falcon chicks from the wild for falconry.

Applies to England

Documents

Licence issued: reference 2018-36008-SPM-WLM

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Licence issued: reference 2018-36047-SPM-WLM

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Licence issued: reference 2018-36055-SPM-WLM

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Habitats Regulations Assessment of licence application

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Licence determination record

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

Natural England has issued 3 licences to falconers to allow them to take 6 peregrine falcon chicks from the wild for use in falconry. Each falconer intends to take one male and one female chick to form a breeding programme with the other licensees.

Natural England has carried out a rigorous assessment of these licences and made sure they’ll have no impact on the peregrine falcon population. The peregrine falcon population is doing well in England and has a conservation status of ‘green’.

For added security, the licence holders can only take chicks that would not normally survive in the wild.

The licences are valid for 2 years.

The licensees need to meet strict conditions before, and after, they take any birds. These conditions will:

  • protect the welfare of any chicks taken
  • maintain the conservation status of the peregrine falcon population

Peregrine falcons are protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). It’s illegal to disturb or take them without a licence. Falconry and aviculture are reasons under which Natural England can grant a licence to carry out these activities lawfully.

Natural England has published the following documents related to this decision:

  • the 3 licences issued by Natural England

  • the Habitats Regulations Assessment of the licence application

  • the licence determination record

Natural England has removed all personal information from these documents in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Natural England has written a blog which gives more details on the reasons for issuing these licences.

Updates to this page

Published 6 May 2020

Sign up for emails or print this page