Guidance

Gamebirds: licences to release them

When you need a licence to release common pheasants and red-legged partridges and how to apply.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Published: 22 March 2024
• Last updated: 3 April 2024 — See all updates

Applies to England

This guidance uses ‘gamebirds’ to refer to common pheasants and red-legged partridges.

When you need a licence

You need a licence if you plan to release gamebirds within: 

• a special area of conservation (SAC) 
• a special protection area (SPA) 
• the 500-metre ‘buffer zone’ around a SAC or a SPA 

If your planned release is on a site of special scientific interest (SSSI), you may need permission from Natural England. 

A site can be located within multiple boundaries. For example, it could be within both a SAC and a SSSI.  

You do not need a licence to release gamebirds in other areas. You should avoid releasing gamebirds wherever possible from any of the SPAs, SACs and SSSIs.

Check the location of your release site

To check if your release site is in a SPA, SAC or SSSI: 

1. Open MAGIC maps.  

2. Drag and zoom the map to the location of your planned release site. 

3. In the table of contents, select ‘Designations’, then ‘Land-Based Designations’ and ‘Marine Based Designations’. 

4. For both designations, select ‘Statutory’.   

5. To see the boundaries of: 

• SPAs, select ‘Special Protection Areas (England)’ from the ‘Land-Based Designations’ category and ‘Special Protection Areas (Marine Components GB)’ from the ‘Marine Based Designations’ list  
• SACs, select ‘Special Areas of Conservation (England)’ from the ‘Land-Based Designations’ category and ‘Special Areas of Conservation (Marine Components GB)’ from the ‘Marine Based Designations’ list 
• SSSIs, select ‘Sites of Special Scientific Interest (England’) 

Or follow: MAGIC maps application. 

To check if your release site is in the 500-metre buffer zone of a SAC or SPA, use the Common Pheasant and Red-legged Partridge releases (arcgis.com) map. Blue sections show the buffer zones. 

Your site may be within the boundaries of more than one of these sites.

Calculate your release density

The maximum density of gamebirds you can release under all general licences is:  

• in a SAC or a SPA, 700 birds per hectare of release pen or release area  
• in a SAC buffer zone or a SPA buffer zone, 1,000 birds per hectare of release pen or release area  

It is unlikely you will be able to release a higher density of gamebirds under an individual licence. In some limited and specific cases, you may need to release a lower density.  

If any gamebirds are shot or killed, you must not release more birds if this will exceed the allowed limit. 

To calculate how many common pheasants you can release, multiply the size of your release pen in hectares by the maximum release density for your site. 

For example, for a 2-hectare release pen within a SPA buffer zone, multiply 2 (hectares) by 1,000 (maximum density for a SPA buffer zone). This would result in a maximum of 2,000 gamebirds you can release. 

To measure the size of your release pen, you can:  

1. Open MAGIC maps. 

2. Drag and zoom the map to the location of your release pen. 

3. Select the ‘Measure’ button (the ruler icon). 

4. In the pop-up window, choose the ‘Area & Perimeter’ button. 

5. On the map, select points along the boundary of your pen. 

6. When you select the final point of your boundary, double-click. The area of the pen in square metres will appear in the pop-up. Use the drop-down to change the unit to ‘Hectares’.

Releases on special areas of conservation (SACs) and their buffer zones

If you plan to release gamebirds on a SAC or its 500-metre buffer zone, you should check if you can use the GL43 general licence.

If you cannot meet the conditions of the general licence, you should apply for an individual licence.

Releases on special protection areas (SPAs) and their buffer zones

If you plan to release gamebirds on a SPA or its 500-metre buffer zone, you should check if you can use the GL45 general licence. 

If the general licence does not cover your planned release site or you cannot meet its conditions, you should apply for an individual licence.

Releases on sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs)

If your planned release site is on a SSSI, you are likely to need consent from Natural England to: 

• release gamebirds 
• put up and maintain gamebird release pens 
• feed gamebirds 
• drive vehicles on the site 

You must follow the conditions of that consent.  

You need to:  

• check if your release site is within a SSSI  
• check if you need SSSI consent from Natural England  
• apply for SSSI consent (if needed)  

You will need both consent and a licence if the area is also in a SAC, SPA, or the 500-metre buffer zone of a SAC or SPA.

Apply for an individual licence

You will need to apply for an individual licence if all of the following apply: 

• you plan to release gamebirds on a SAC, SPA or their buffer zones 
• you cannot move your release to another area outside the SAC, SPA or buffer zone 
• you cannot use the general licences or meet their conditions  

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) or Natural England may choose to include or amend conditions from the general licence in an individual licence. For example, they may require lower release densities.

How to apply

If you need to apply for an individual licence to release gamebirds on: 

• a SAC or its buffer zone, request an application form by emailing Natural England at gamebirds@naturalengland.org.uk
• a SPA or its buffer zone, email Defra at glenquiries@defra.gov.uk
• both a SAC and a SPA or their buffer zones, email Defra at glenquiries@defra.gov.uk

You should email Defra by Sunday 7 April. Include the following information:

• your full name
• the SPA you plan to release on or within the buffer zone of
• the numbers of common pheasants and red-legged partridges you plan to release on the SPA or buffer zone – specify how many of each bird you plan to release in each area
• the date you plan to submit your full application

You can send your information after this date, but Defra will only review it after considering information submitted by the recommended deadline. If Defra has granted licences for your release site by this time, they could refuse your application or reduce the density of gamebirds you can release. This is due to the combined effect of releases.

Defra will send you an application form once they receive your information.

Before you apply to release gamebirds on a SPA or its buffer zone

Before you apply for an individual licence for a SPA or its buffer zone, gather information and evidence to submit as ‘supplementary information’ in your application. This could include photos, maps or documents.  

Submitting information after you apply could significantly increase the time it takes Defra to process your application.  

Your information and evidence should show how you plan to avoid adverse impact on the SAC or SPA. In particular, you should show how you will reduce the risk of direct and indirect bird flu transmission between gamebirds and protected species (‘features’). Use Site Search to find the conservation objectives and protected features for your release site.   

Information and evidence you gather could include:  

• advice from an ornithological expert or consultant - Defra will consider all information and evidence you give, including from practitioners, but they will give appropriate weight to expert opinion 
• any aspects of the release site that reduce the risk of gamebirds interacting with protected species, such as cliffs or rivers - Defra will not be able to visit shoot locations when assessing your application 
• your plan for shoot days, including the location of shooting pegs, direction you will drive gamebirds, and how you will move gamebirds between pens and covers (such as using mobile feeders and whistles) 
• your management activities, including habitat and wildlife management, that will lower the risk of bird flu transmission to SPA protected species 
• actions you can offer to take to reduce the risk of bird flu transmission on your release site 

Actions you offer could include:  

• feeding gamebirds away from the SPA and the buffer zone 
• placing watering stations away from any nearby water bodies 
• covering feeding and watering stations to avoid contamination from wild bird droppings 
• releasing gamebirds on dates when SPA protected species will not be on the site 
• properly disposing of carcasses 
• training staff on biosecurity 
• increasing health checks on gamebirds to catch early signs of disease 

You must be able to comply with any actions you offer to take. If Defra approves your application, they could become mandatory conditions of your licence and wildlife inspectors may carry out compliance checks.

Getting a decision on your application 

Defra or Natural England will complete an initial review of your application to check that: 

• you have applied for the correct licence 
• all required information is included and readable 
• pen location references meet the specifications in the application form 
• release densities are consistent with the general licences 
• you have accepted the declaration 

They will confirm that they have received your application after reviewing it against these criteria. If you fail to meet these criteria, they will contact you by email and give you 5 working days to improve the application.  

They will then fully review your application, assessing whether there is enough evidence that your release will not have an adverse effect on the SAC or SPA. To do this, they will review your application as a project and complete a habitats regulations assessment (HRA). 

Defra or Natural England will send you a decision on your application by email. If it is: 

• approved, they will send your licence by email 
• refused, they will send you a letter explaining the decision by email

Get help 

Contact glenquiries@defra.gov.uk if you have any questions about: 

• the general licence for releases on SACs and their buffer zones (GL43) 
• the general licence for releases on SPAs and their buffer zones (GL45) 
• the individual licence for releases on SPAs and their buffer zones 
• all licences, such as which licence you can use 

Contact gamebirds@naturalengland.org.uk if you have questions about the individual licence for releases on SACs and their buffer zones.

Published 22 March 2024
Last updated 3 April 2024 + show all updates

1. 3 April 2024

   Amended the instructions on applying for an individual licence. You do not need to submit your application to Defra by Sunday 7 April. You should instead send certain information by this date.

2. 22 March 2024

   First published.