We issue wildlife licences for a range of purposes, and falconry and aviculture are listed as purposes for which licences can be granted under the legislation. This includes the potential to take a small number of birds from the wild for these pursuits – but only if strict welfare and conservation conditions are met. The taking of birds from the wild for these purposes is also practised in a number of other European countries. The One Plan approach to conservation. IUCN, Species Survival Commission, Conservation Planning Specialist Group [Accessed: October 2022] The behavioural biology of hornbills, toucans, and kingfishers. In: Rose, P. E. (ed), The Behavioural Biology of Zoo Animals, 1st edn. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp. 185-196 This list is intended as an editorial tool and is not an official list of all species recorded and/or accepted in the Western Palearctic. In some cases, species for which records in the treated region are disputed may be included for pragmatism.For the status of records of rare birds in the region, we refer readers to the individual national rarities committees and their published reports fromacross the region.

Evidence for aviculture: identifying research needs to advance the role of ex situ bird populations in conservation initiatives and collection planning. Birds, 2, 77-95 The Avicultural Society is concerned with the keeping and breeding of all types of birds other than domesticated varieties. The society, based in the UK, has a world-wide membership which includes most top aviculturalists, as well as leading zoos, bird gardens, conservation organisations and research institutes around the world. Special greenfinch mixes can be bought from suppliers and in addition, they can enjoy safflower, sunflower and hemp seeds, mung beans, defrosted garden peas, egg food and niger seed. They are sturdy birds so if kept in a cage; watch levels of fattening seeds such as sunflower and niger to avoid overweight birds. Bullfinch The British finches are made up of several species of finch which were formerly very popular as cage birds in Great Britain. They are not currently commonplace, but are still kept by a few dedicated fanciers.Common crossbill ( Loxia species) ( Note: In Victorian times the Scottish crossbill had not been identified)

Peregrine falcons have a conservation status of green which means they are widespread and their numbers are not under threat. In fact, the species’ current range and numbers are greater than at any time since detailed recording began in the 1930s. The peregrine population has particularly increased over the last 50 years – there were just 47 breeding pairs in England by the 1970s but by 2014 this number had increased to 826 breeding pairs.So we can verify that there is no conflict of interest (or personal connection to high powers in government), would you be able to disclose the identity of the chosen three falconers, and divulge how many applied vs. how many got a license to do this? I am sure the successful applicants will make themselves known in due course advertising their wares, but this may take several years. FIGURE (3) IUCN threat categories of least concern, ie the species is doing well, compared to incremental increases in endangerment, right up to extinct in the wild, where a species only occurs in ex situ managed populations. The triangles explain the intensity of management required to sustain the species into the future

Following comprehensive discussions, we concluded that birds already held in captivity cannot provide verifiably British birds. This is because it is incredibly difficult to definitively establish the provenance of birds held in captivity due to poor documentation. The knowledge of bird behaviour gained from observing populations in the wild benefits the development of ex situ husbandry programmes for captive individuals. Expertise from the zoo, eg design, construction and siting of nest boxes to encourage breeding in new locations (Beilby, 2022), has direct impact on wild populations by evidencing how to augment habitats to improve their quality and usefulness for threatened species at specific times. Final thoughts Using zoo populations of threatened bird species, such as the southern ground hornbill ( Bucorvus leadbeateri) ( Figure 1), as a safety net ensures some form of conservation can continue should the wild population crash. These zoo-housed individuals also promote the gravity of the species’ role in its ecosystem, educating people on why they should be protected because of their ecological benefits. Such increased awareness reduces the chances of a crash in wild numbers and promotes the relevance of the zoo bird to its wild cousins and, subsequently, to their conservation action. Keeping avian conservation sustainable Depending on where in the country you live, the redpoll may not a familiar bird to you. There are two main types of Redpoll kept in aviculture, the Lesser and the Mealy. The Lessers are the smaller of the two and cross-breeding should be avoided.

Falconry is an ancient tradition which has been practised in England for centuries and is recognised as an ‘intangible cultural heritage of humanity’ by UNESCO. The applicants wish to breed verifiably British peregrines for use in their falconry activities, and the European Commission’s (EC) Wild Birds Directive includes reference to the sustainable use of species to fulfil cultural requirements, providing this does not affect their conservation status. An estimated 10,000 species of bird are scientifically described across the world by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO, 2022). But unfortunately, many of these species – around 1,500 types of birds – are of conservation concern (BirdLife International, 2022a). The recent “State of the world’s birds” report by BirdLife International (2022b) has shown that 49 percent are in decline globally; therefore, species-specific and habitat-focused conservation action continues to be required. We understand that some people may have questions and concerns over the taking of birds from the wild and so I wanted to outline more about our decision. A peregrine falcon. Credit: Pixabay