General licence for birds - GL12/2026 - To sell certain dead birds which have been captive-bred or legally taken from the European Union

General Licences allow authorised people to carry out activities that would otherwise be illegal under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). They cover situations where we are satisfied that there is no other satisfactory solution in respect of the species to which they relate and the circumstances in which the licensed action may be taken. 

Statement of reasons for General Licence 12/2026

Terms and conditions

If you operate under General Licence 12/2026 you must meet the following terms and conditions otherwise your actions may be illegal which could lead to prosecution.

What can this General Licence be used for?

Authorised people (operators) can:

(a) sell, hire, barter or exchange

(b) offer or expose for sale, hire, barter or exchange

(c) possess or transport for the purpose of sale, hire, barter or exchange

(d) publish or cause to be published, any advertisement likely to be understood as conveying the intention to buy, sell, hire, barter or exchange any dead wild bird (or part of, or anything derived from such a bird) that has either been bred in captivity, or has been legally taken from a Member State of the European Union, other than

Coot                                       Fulica atra
Tufted duck                           Aythya fuligula
Gadwall                                  Anas strepera
Goldeneye                             Bucephala clangula
Canada goose                       Branta canadensis
Greylag goose                       Anser anser
Pink-footed goose                Anser brachyrhynchus
Black grouse                         Tetrao tetrix
Red grouse                            Lagopus lagopus scoticus
Mallard                                   Anas platyrhynchos
Moorhen                                Gallinula chloropus
Grey partridge                       Perdix perdix
Red-legged partridge           Alectoris rufa
Common pheasant               Phasianus colchicus
Pintail                                    Anas acuta
Golden plover                      Pluvialis apricaria
Pochard                               Aythya ferina
Ptarmigan                            Lagopus mutus
Shoveler                              Anas clypeata
Common snipe                   Gallinago gallinago
Teal                                      Anas crecca
Wigeon                                Anas penelope
Woodcock                          Scolopax rusticola
Barnacle goose                 Branta leucopsis
White-fronted goose         Anser albifrons

Who is authorised to use this General Licence?

Operators can be anyone.

What other information must operators know before considering use of this General Licence?

Operators must:

• understand this General Licence and comply with its terms and conditions
• only use it for the purpose specified above

When and where is this General Licence valid?

Across Scotland from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026 unless previously revoked. 

What restrictions apply to the use of this General Licence? 

This General Licence cannot be used by those convicted of a wildlife crime until that conviction is considered spent in accordance with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (as amended), they have received an admonishment or a court discharged them absolutely.

Any person not able to use this General Licence can still apply to NatureScot for an individual licence.

What are the general conditions of this General Licence?

This General Licence only applies to the sale of dead birds that:

1. were bred in captivity.  A bird shall not be treated as having been bred in captivity unless its parents were lawfully in captivity when the egg from which it hatched was laid.  or
2. originated from a Member State of the European Union and were lawfully removed from the natural state under legal provisions in force in that Member State or with the approval of competent authorities of that Member State.  Documentary evidence that the bird was lawfully removed from the natural state must accompany any sale, hire, barter or exchange.

What are the reporting requirements of this General Licence? 

1. The seller must certify that the record is accurate.
2. Any person selling any dead bird must keep a record of all sales.  This record must contain details of:

a.  The person(s) from whom the seller acquired the bird and the person(s) to whom the bird were sold

b.  The species of bird sold, the cause of death (if known), the age of the specimen (if the specimen is over 30 years old this should be noted) and the date of acquisition.

3. The seller must submit a report to NatureScot by 31 January 2027 detailing any sale by him in that year of any dead bird, which has not previously been sold.  The report should also:

a.  state how the seller acquired each such bird; and

b.  list the type and number of each species sold.

4. The seller shall, on being given reasonable notice in writing, produce the record to a person authorised in writing by NatureScot and the seller shall also permit such an authorised person to inspect the record.

Notes

1. This General Licence covers the sale of taxidermy specimens
2. General Licence 11/2026 allows the sale of products or parts of dead birds
3. Further information on goose licensing is available on our website. 

Definitions

For the purposes of this General Licence;

• “NatureScot” means Scottish Natural Heritage acting under its operating name NatureScot.
• "wild bird" means any bird of a species which is ordinarily resident in or is a visitor to the UK or any member State or the European territory of any member State in a wild state but does not include poultry.  "Bird" includes all stages from chick to adult.
• “wildlife crime” means any offence under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981, the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994, the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, Deer (Scotland) Act 1996, Agriculture (Scotland) Act 1948, the Animal Health & Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, the Protection of Animals (Scotland) Act 1912, the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996, the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023 and the Wildlife management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024 (all as amended).