Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

6 Sale etc. of live or dead wild birds, eggs etc. E+W

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Part, if any person—

(a) sells, offers or exposes for sale, or has in his possession or transports for the purpose of sale, any live wild bird other than a bird included in Part I of Schedule 3, or an egg of a wild bird or any part of such an egg; or

(b) publishes or causes to be published any advertisement likely to be understood as conveying that he buys or sells, or intends to buy or sell, any of those things,

he shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) Subject to the provisions of this Part, if any personF2 . . . —

(a) sells, offers or exposes for sale, or has in his possession or transports for the purpose of sale, any dead wild bird other than a bird included in Part II or III of Schedule 3, or any part of, or anything derived from, such a wild bird; or

(b) publishes or causes to be published any advertisement likely to be understood as conveying that he buys or sells, or intends to buy or sell, any of those things,

he shall be guilty of an offence.

(3) Subject to the provisions of this Part, if any person shows or causes or permits to be shown for the purposes of any competition or in any premises in which a competition is being held—

(a) any live wild bird other than a bird included in Part I of Schedule 3; or

(b) any live bird one of whose parents was such a wild bird,

he shall be guilty of an offence.

(4) F3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F4 (5) Any reference in this section to any bird included in Part 1 of Schedule 3 is a reference to any bird included in that Part which—

(a) was bred in captivity,

(b) has been ringed or marked in accordance with regulations made by the Secretary of State, and

(c) has not been lawfully released into the wild as part of a re-population or re-introduction programme.

(5A) “ Re-population ” and “ re-introduction ” have the same meaning as in [F5 the Wild Birds Directive].

(5B) Regulations made for the purposes of subsection (5)(b) may make different provision for different birds or different provisions of this section.]

(6) Any reference in this section to any bird included in Part II or III of Schedule 3 is a reference to any bird included in Part II and, during the period commencing with 1st September in any year and ending with 28th February of the following year, any bird included in Part III of that Schedule.

(7) F6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(8) F6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(8A) F6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(9) F6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(10) F6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Extent Information

E1 This version on this provision extends to England and Wales only; a separate version has been created for Scotland only.

Textual Amendments

F2 Words in s. 6(2) repealed (E.W.) (30.1.2001) by 2000 c. 37, ss. 81(1), 102, 103(2), Sch. 12 para. 3, Sch. 16 Pt. IV (with Sch. 12 para. 10(6))

F3 S. 6(4) repealed (30.1.2001 for E.W. and 26.3.2003 for S.) by 2000 c. 37, ss. 102, 103(2), Sch. 16 Pt. IV (with Sch. 12 para. 10(6)) and by the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 (asp 7), ss. 86, 89(2)(d), Sch. 5

F4 S. 6(5)-(5B) substituted (E.W.) (1.10.2006) for s. 6(5) by Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (c.16), ss. 48(2), 107; S.I. 2006/2541, art. 2

F5 Words in s. 6(5A) substituted (E.W.) (21.8.2007) by The Conservation (Natural Habitats,  & c.) (Amendment) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/1843) {reg. 7(3)}

F6 S. 6(7)-(10) repealed (E.W.) (30.1.2001) by 2000 c. 37, ss. 102, 103(2), Sch. 16 Pt. IV (with Sch. 12 para. 10(6))

6 Sale etc. of live or dead wild birds, eggs etc. S

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Part, if any person—

(a) sells, offers or exposes for sale, or has in his possession or transports for the purpose of sale, any live wild bird F7 ..., or an egg of a wild bird or any part of such an egg [F8 other than—

(i) a bird included in Part I of Schedule 3 (see also subsection (5));

(ii) a bird included in Part 1A of that Schedule to which subsection (1A) applies; or

(iii) an egg to which subsection (1B) applies or any part of such an egg]; or

(b) publishes or causes to be published any advertisement likely to be understood as conveying that he buys or sells, or intends to buy or sell, any of those things,

he shall be guilty of an offence.

[F9 (1A) This subsection applies to a bird which—

(a) was bred in captivity and remained in captivity or a place where it was reared;

(b) was a wild bird for the purposes of section 1 (see section 1(6)) and was taken by a person who had a legal right to take such a bird or a person with permission, from a person who had a right to give permission, to take such a bird outside the close season for the bird; or

(c) was such a wild bird of the following type and was taken by a person with such right or permission during the period of 28 days which commences with the first day of its close season––

(i) a partridge included also in Part I of Schedule 2; or

(ii) a pheasant included also in that Part.

(1B) This subsection applies to the following eggs—

(a) an egg of a bird included in Part IA of Schedule 3 to which subsection (1A) applies; or

(b) an egg of a bird included in Part IA of Schedule 3 to which that subsection does not apply if the egg was taken—

(i) outside the close season for the bird or during the period of 28 days commencing with the first day of its close season; and

(ii) by a person who had a legal right to take such a bird or a person with permission, from a person who had a right to give permission, to take such a bird.]

(2) Subject to the provisions of this Part, if any person who is not for the time being registered in accordance with regulations made by the Secretary of State—

(a) sells, offers or exposes for sale, or has in his possession or transports for the purpose of sale, any dead wild bird other than a bird included in Part II [F10 , IIA] or III of Schedule 3 [F11 (see also subsections (5B) and (6))], or any part of, or anything derived from, such a wild bird; or

(b) publishes or causes to be published any advertisement likely to be understood as conveying that he buys or sells, or intends to buy or sell, any of those things,

he shall be guilty of an offence.

[F12 (2A) Subject to the provisions of this Part, any person who knowingly causes or permits to be done an act which is made unlawful by any of the foregoing provisions of this section (other than subsections (1)(b) and (2)(b)) shall be guilty of an offence.]

(3) Subject to the provisions of this Part, if any person shows or causes or permits to be shown for the purposes of any competition or in any premises in which a competition is being held—

(a) any live wild bird other than a bird included in Part I of Schedule 3; or

(b) any live bird one of whose parents was such a wild bird,

he shall be guilty of an offence.

(4) F3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F13 (5) Any reference in this section to any bird included in Part I of Schedule 3 is a reference to any bird included in that Part which—

(a) was bred in captivity;

(b) has been ringed or marked in accordance with regulations made by the Scottish Ministers; and

(c) has not been lawfully released or allowed to escape from captivity as part of a re-population or re-introduction programme.

(5A) Regulations made for the purposes of subsection (5)(b) may make different provision for different birds or different provisions of this section.]

[F14 (5B) Any reference in this section to any bird included in Part IIA of Schedule 3 is a reference to any bird included in that Part which was killed outside the close season for the bird by a person who had a legal right to kill such a bird or permission, from a person who had a right to give permission, to kill such a bird.]

[F15 (6) Any reference in this section to any bird included in Part III of Schedule 3 is a reference, during the period commencing with 1st September in any year and ending with 28th February of the following year, to any bird included in that Part.]

(7) The power of the Secretary of State to make regulations under subsection (2) shall include power—

(a) to impose requirements as to the carrying out by a person registered in accordance with the regulations of any act which, apart from the registration, would constitute an offence under this section; and

(b) to provide that any contravention of the regulations shall constitute such an offence.

(8) Regulations under subsection (2) shall secure that no person shall become or remain registered [F16 within five years of his having been convicted of—

(a) an offence under this Part (being an offence relating to the protection of birds or other animals); or

(b) any other offence involving their ill-treatment,]

no account being taken for this purpose of a conviction which has become spent by virtue of the M1 Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

(8A) The Secretary of State may charge such reasonable sum (if any) as he may determine in respect of any registration effected in accordance with regulations under subsection (2).

F17 (9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F17 (10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Extent Information

E2 This version of this provision extends to Scotland only; a separate version has been created for England and Wales only.

Textual Amendments

F3 S. 6(4) repealed (30.1.2001 for E.W. and 26.3.2003 for S.) by 2000 c. 37, ss. 102, 103(2), Sch. 16 Pt. IV (with Sch. 12 para. 10(6)) and by the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 (asp 7), ss. 86, 89(2)(d), Sch. 5

F7 Words in s. 6(1)(a) repealed (S.) (29.6.2011) by Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 (asp 6), ss. 5(3)(a)(i), 43(1) (with s. 41(1)); S.S.I. 2011/279, art. 2(1)(c)

F8 Words in s. 6(1)(a) inserted (S.) (29.6.2011) by Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 (asp 6), ss. 5(3)(a)(ii), 43(1) (with s. 41(1)); S.S.I. 2011/279, art. 2(1)(c)

F9 S. 6(1A)(1B) inserted (S.) (29.6.2011) by Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 (asp 6), ss. 5(3)(b), 43(1) (with s. 41(1)); S.S.I. 2011/279, art. 2(1)(c)

F10 Word in s. 6(2)(a) inserted (S.) (29.6.2011) by Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 (asp 6), ss. 5(3)(c)(i), 43(1) (with s. 41(1)); S.S.I. 2011/279, art. 2(1)(c)

F11 Words in s. 6(2)(a) inserted (S.) (29.6.2011) by Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 (asp 6), ss. 5(3)(c)(ii), 43(1) (with s. 41(1)); S.S.I. 2011/279, art. 2(1)(c)

F12 S. 6(2A) inserted (S.) (1.1.2012) by Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 (asp 6), ss. 21(2), 43(1) (with s. 41(1)); S.S.I. 2011/433, art. 2(1)(e)

F13 S. 6(5)(5A) substituted for s. 6(5) (S.) (29.6.2011) by Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 (asp 6), ss. 5(3)(d), 43(1) (with s. 41(1)); S.S.I. 2011/279, art. 2(1)(c)

F14 S. 6(5B) inserted (S.) (29.6.2011) by Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 (asp 6), ss. 5(3)(e), 43(1) (with s. 41(1)); S.S.I. 2011/279, art. 2(1)(c)

F15 S. 6(6) substituted (S.) (29.6.2011) by Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 (asp 6), ss. 5(3)(f), 43(1) (with s. 41(1)); S.S.I. 2011/279, art. 2(1)(c)

F16 S. 6(8): paras. (a)(b) and preceding words substituted (S.) (26.3.2003) for paras. (a)(b) by Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 (asp 7), ss. 77, 89(2)(b), Sch. 3 para. 2

F17 S. 6(9)(10) repealed (S.) (2.7.2012) by Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 (asp 6), ss. 22(2), 43(1) (with s. 41(1)); S.S.I. 2012/175, art. 2(1)(d)

Marginal Citations

M1 1974. c. 53.