Pest and predator control is an integral part of conservation and wildlife management. It is necessary to reduce predation and damage to acceptable levels, particularly at vulnerable times of the year such as the nesting season. It is the responsibility of all those involved in pest and predator control to ensure their methods are legal, humane and carried out with sensitivity and respect for other countryside users.

Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Section 5 and the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 Article 12 it is illegal to:

* set in position any trap which is calculated to cause bodily injury to any wild bird coming into contact with it.

* use as a decoy, for the purpose of killing or taking any wild bird, any sound recording or any live bird or other animal whatever which is tethered, or which is secured by means of braces or other similar appliances, or which is blind, maimed or injured.

Section 8 (1) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 provides that if any person keeps or confines any bird whatever in any cage or receptacle which is not sufficient in height, length or breadth to permit the bird to stretch its wings freely, he shall be guilty of an offence and be liable to a special penalty.

Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Wildlife
(Northern Ireland) Order 1985 it is illegal to sell decoy birds.

Larsen cage traps

A 'Larsen cage trap' means a cage trap which has a closed compartment for confining a live decoy bird and a spring activated trap door which is either top or side entry.

The use of this trap is permitted under a general licence issued by the DETR (Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions) and allows an authorised person to keep or confine the birds listed in a Larsen cage trap, the dimensions of which do not satisfy the requirements of Section 8 (1) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.  A similar general licence is also issued by the statutory authorities in Scotland and Wales.

Under the terms of the general licence an 'authorised person is:

* the landowner or occupier (or persons authorised by them) upon their own land.

* a person having written authority issued by local authorities.

* a person having written authority issued by English Nature (or equivalent statutory agencies), regional water boards, river authorities or local fisheries committees.

Individuals are not required to hold a licence personally but failure to comply with the conditions amounts to an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and penalties can be severe.

The terms and conditions of the general licence are:

* only crow, jackdaw, jay*, magpie and rook may be kept or confined in a Larsen cage trap as a decoy.

* any bird other than crow, jackdaw, jay*, magpie and rook, which may be caught in the Larsen cage trap, must be released immediately on being found.

* each Larsen cage trap, which contains a live decoy bird must be inspected on at least one occasion in any 24 hour period.  Where Larsen cage traps are left in the open but not in use, they must be rendered incapable of holding or catching birds.

* the decoy bird must be provided with adequate food, water, shelter and a perch for the entire period which it is used. The decoy bird must be removed when the trap is not in use.

BASC does not recommend the wing clipping of decoy birds.

Note:
The general licence does not require an individual to demonstrate that the birds were causing a problem at, or prior to, the time of control or that there was no other satisfactory solution.

Multi-catch cage traps:

Under the terms and conditions of the general licences as issued in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland  an authorised person may kill or take the following species of birds at any time by shooting, by use of cage traps or by any other method which is not prohibited by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Section 5 and the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 Article 6.  These are: 

rook, crow, magpie, jackdaw,  jay*, great black-backed gull, lesser black-backed gull, herring gull, feral pigeon, collared dove* and woodpigeon.

 *Jay and collared dove are protected species in Northern Ireland under the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985.

Every cage trap used under authority of the general licence must be inspected by an authorised person on a daily basis when the cage trap is in use, except where this is not possible because of severe weather conditions e.g. as a result of heavy snowfall. In such cases, every effort must be made to inspect the cage trap as soon as possible. At each inspection any birds caught in the trap must be removed from it.

* Where traps are left in the open but not in use, they must be rendered incapable of holding or catching birds,  e.g. door scured in open position.

* Any of the listed birds caught must be  killed quickly and humanely.
 
* An authorised person is the same as described under Larsen cage trap.

Always provide adequate food, water, shelter and a perch.

There are several types of multi-catch traps available, but the ladder/ letterbox design is the most popular for controlling rooks, crows and jackdaws.  This is a large permanent or moveable timber framed catcher with the top and sides covered in small wire mesh.  A ladder type arrangement on the top of the pen allows corvids to drop into the trap to feed but not to fly back out.

BASC recommends the following sizes depth 2m, width 2m and length 3m as a minimum size for multi-catch ladder/letterbox type traps (see below).  The operator should always construct traps to include a door to facilitate daily inspection.

 

Where traps are left in the open but not in use, they must be rendered incapable of holding or catching birds, e.g. door secured in open position.

Remember

* Using a trap on any land, which you do not own or have permission to trap on, could result in a prosecution.

* The law requires traps to be inspected at least once a day. BASC recommends inspection twice daily and as soon after dawn as is practical.

* The displaying of carcasses serves no useful purpose and may offend other countryside users. Carcasses should be either incinerated or deeply buried.

* Avoid setting traps on or near to public footpaths or public rights of way.

* Always remove food remains when the trap is not in use.

If in doubt do not set a trap!