Change description : 2025-01-01 00:01:00: Updated this licence to cover the period 1 January to 31 December 2025. Updated the ‘Avian influenza’ information and advice note. Reworded several sections to make the information clearer. [Guidance and regulation]
This general licence lets you sell captive bred live wild birds.
Any bird sold under this licence must have been bred in captivity. Its parents must have been in lawful captivity when the egg was laid. You need documents to prove this.
You do not need to apply for this general licence but you must meet its conditions and follow its instructions.
Birds that do not need a close ring to be sold under this licence
Most captive birds sold under this licence need to be close rung, but there are some exceptions.
You do not need to ring:
pintails
American wigeons
shovelers
common teals
blue-winged teals
wigeons
mallards
garganeys
black ducks
gadwalls
white-fronted geese
greylag geese
pink-footed geese
snow geese
lesser white-fronted geese
bean geese
ring-necked ducks
pochards
tufted ducks
scaups
brent geese
goldeneyes
long-tailed ducks
Bewick’s swans
whooper swans
harlequin ducks
velvet scoters
common scoters
surf scoters
smews
hooded mergansers
goosanders
red-breasted mergansers
red-crested pochards
Steller’s eiders
eider ducks
king eiders
shelducks
Wild birds you do not need a licence to sell
You do not need a licence to sell captive bred birds fitted with a close ring from an authorised supplier if they’re:
blackbirds
bramblings
bullfinches
buntings, reed
chaffinches
dunnocks
goldfinches
greenfinches
jackdaws
jays
linnets
magpies
barn owls
redpolls
siskins
starlings
song thrushes
twites
yellowhammers
Updates to this page
Published 1 January 2015 Last updated 1 January 20242025
+ show all updates
Updated this licence to cover the period 1 January to 31 December 2025. Updated the 'Avian influenza' information and advice note. Reworded several sections to make the information clearer.
There is an update to this licence for 1 January 2024.
Updated to reflect that the licence is issued under section 16(4)(a) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).
Annual licence update, valid from 1 January 2023.
Annual licence update, valid from 1 January 2022.
Annual licence update.
Added accessible version of licence - HTML.
Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2020
Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2019
Updated licence valid from 12 March 2018.
Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2018
Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2017
Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2016