Statutory guidance

Wild birds: licence to keep certain species for rehabilitation (GL07)

As an authorised person, use this general licence to keep disabled schedule 4 wild birds for up to 15 days to rehabilitate them.

Applies to England

Documents

Details

As an authorised person, this licence lets you keep the following species for up to 15 days without registering:

  • honey buzzards
  • golden eagles
  • white-tailed eagles
  • peregrine falcons
  • goshawks
  • marsh harriers
  • Montagu’s harriers
  • merlins
  • ospreys

You’re authorised to use this licence if you:

  • previously kept birds under a licence that expired on 31 January 1996
  • were the registered keeper of 3 disabled wild-bred schedule 4 birds that you returned to the wild and let the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs know
  • are an RSPCA inspector
  • are an RSPB official

You can only keep a bird with this licence if:

  • the bird is disabled
  • you plan to rehabilitate and release it

Within 15 days of first keeping a disabled bird, you must do one of the following:

  • release it into the wild
  • pass it to a vet who may keep it for up to 6 weeks under licence GL08
  • register it

You do not need to apply for this general licence but you must meet its conditions and follow its instructions.

Updates to this page

Published 31 December 2013
Last updated 1 January 2024 + show all updates
  1. There is an update to this licence for 1 January 2024.

  2. Annual licence updates, valid from 1 January 2023.

  3. Annual licence update, valid from 1 January 2022.

  4. Annual licence update.

  5. Added accessible version of licence - HTML.

  6. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2020

  7. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2019

  8. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2018

  9. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2017

  10. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2016

  11. Added updated general licence. New version valid between 1 January and 31 December 2015.

  12. First published.

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