Part 2. DEFRA consultation - Protecting wild birds

Consultation on Amending the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 which allows certain species of wild birds to be killed or taken outside of their close seasons.

NatureScot have provided the evidence on which their proposals for Scotland are based.  These can be found here.

Review of Schedule 2: Wildlife and Countryside Report to Scottish Government | NatureScot

They explore the potential need for bag returns in shooting wild game species. This conversation began around the subject of two grouse species - black grouse and ptarmigan, both of which can still be shot, despite the fact that they have a recent history of decline (and in the case of ptarmigan, population data is surprisingly scanty and difficult to determine). There's no evidence that either species is being threatened by hunting, and in fact there is some good evidence to show that black grouse actively benefit from sporting management for red grouse. However, there is an expectation that shooting should be based upon hard evidence, particularly that which demonstrates what species are being shot and where.

When it comes to how these changes might operate in practice, there are many moving parts. This is what the consultation aims to address, but it's not only an opportunity to highlight shooting sports as a means of gathering useful data for conservation purposes, but also to defend our sport by proving in facts and figures what many of us already know by instinct and experience.

Not many people shoot ptarmigan or black grouse, but that doesn't mean this piece of work doesn't have an impact on shooting sports more generally - it's certainly worth paying attention to it.

We will be providing advice in due course in respect of this consultation