Gamebirds: licences to release them

When you need a licence

You need a licence if you plan to release gamebirds within: 

• a special area of conservation (SAC) in England) 
• a special protection area (SPA) in England) 
• 500 metres of the boundaries500-metre (known‘buffer aszone’ the buffer zone) around a SAC or a SPA 

If your proposedplanned release is on a site of special scientific interest (SSSI), you may also need separatepermission consent from Natural England. 

A site can be located within multiple boundaries. For example, it could be within both a SAC and a SSSI. If.  

You do not need a sitelicence isto withinrelease bothgamebirds ain SPAother areas. You should avoid releasing gamebirds wherever possible from any of the SPAs, SACs and SSSIs.

Check the location of your release site

To check if your release site is in a SPA, SAC (oror withinSSSI: 

1. Open theirMAGIC buffermaps. zones), 

2. Drag followand zoom the guidancemap forto the location of your planned release site. 

3. In the table of contents, select ‘Designations’, then ‘Land-Based Designations’ and ‘Marine Based Designations’. 

4. For both designations, select ‘Statutory’.   

5. To see the boundaries of: 

• SPAs., select ‘Special Protection Areas (England)’ from the ‘Land-Based Designations’ category and ‘Special Protection Areas (Marine Components GB)’ from the ‘Marine Based Designations’ list  
• SACs, select ‘Special Areas of Conservation (England)’ from the ‘Land-Based Designations’ category and ‘Special Areas of Conservation (Marine Components GB)’ from the ‘Marine Based Designations’ list 
• SSSIs, select ‘Sites of Special Scientific Interest (England’) 

Or follow: MAGIC maps application. 

YouTo docheck notif needyour release site is in the 500-metre buffer zone of a licenceSAC toor SPA, use the Common Pheasant and Red-legged Partridge releases (arcgis.com) map. Blue sections show the buffer zones. 

Your site may be within the boundaries of more than one of these sites.

Calculate your release density

The maximum density of gamebirds inyou othercan areas.release Youunder shouldall avoidgeneral releasinglicences gamebirdsis:  

• in wherevera possibleSAC onor anya SPA, 700 birds per hectare of release pen or release area  
• in a SAC buffer zone or SSSIa SPA inbuffer England.

  Releaseszone, on1,000 orbirds nearper specialhectare areas of conservationrelease (SACs)

  pen or release area  

IfIt is unlikely you wantwill be able to release a higher density of gamebirds onunder an individual licence. In some limited and specific cases, you may need to release a SAClower density.  

If any gamebirds are shot or killed, you must not release more birds if this will exceed the allowed limit. 

To calculate how many common pheasants you can release, multiply the size of your release pen in hectares by the maximum release density for your site. 

For example, for a 2-hectare release pen within itsa 500mSPA buffer zone, youmultiply should2 check(hectares) ifby 1,000 (maximum density for a SPA buffer zone). This would result in a maximum of 2,000 gamebirds you can userelease. 

To measure the GL43size generalof licence.your release pen, you can:  

1. IfOpen youMAGIC cannotmaps. 

2. Drag useand zoom the GL43map generalto licencethe orlocation meetof itsyour conditions,release pen. 

3. Select the ‘Measure’ button (the ruler icon). 

4. In the pop-up window, choose the ‘Area & Perimeter’ button. 

5. On the map, select points along the boundary of your pen. 

6. When you select the final point of your boundary, double-click. The area of the pen in square metres will needappear anin individualthe licence.pop-up. Use the drop-down to change the unit to ‘Hectares’.

Releases on or near special protection areas of conservation (SPAsSACs) and their buffer zones

If you wantplan to release gamebirds on a SAC or withinits 500m500-metre ofbuffer azone, SPA,you should check if you willcan needuse anthe individualGL43 general licence.

If Youyou cannot usemeet the GL43conditions of the general licence, asyou itshould onlyapply authorisesfor releasesan onindividual orlicence.

Releases withinon 500mspecial ofprotection aareas SAC(SPAs.

) and their buffer zones

GeneralIf licenceyou GL45plan forto release of gamebirds on ora within 500m of a SPA willor notits be500-metre issuedbuffer inzone, 2025,you asshould itcheck isif currentlyyou notcan possibleuse tothe ruleGL45 outgeneral licence. 

If the riskgeneral (whichlicence remainsdoes verynot high)cover ofyour highlyplanned pathogenicrelease aviansite influenzaor (HPAI)you spreadingcannot tomeet theits birdconditions, featuresyou presentshould on SPAs.apply for an individual licence.

Releases on sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs)

If your planned release site is on a SSSI, you are likely to need consent from Natural England to: 

• release gamebirds 
• put up and maintain gamebird release pens 
• feed gamebirds 
• drive vehicles on the site 

You must follow the conditions of that consent.  

You need to:  

• check MAGIC maps to see if your release site is within a SSSI  
• check if you need SSSI consent from Natural England  
• apply for SSSI consent (if needed)  

You will need both consent and a licence if the area is also in a SAC, SPA, or the 500m500-metre buffer zone of a SAC or SPA.

CheckApply thefor locationan ofindividual your release sitelicence

ToYou checkwill ifneed yourto releaseapply sitefor isan inindividual alicence SPA,if SACall orof SSSI,the orfollowing theapply: 

• you bufferplan zoneto ofrelease gamebirds on a SAC, or SPA:
  1. Open MAGICor maps.their Thisbuffer linkzones 
  2. you willcannot openmove theyour MAGICrelease mapto withanother area outside the SAC, SPA, SSSI,or and SPA and SAC buffer zone layers pre-selected.zone 
  3. Dragyou andcannot zoomuse the mapgeneral tolicences theor locationmeet oftheir yourconditions proposed release site. 

YourThe siteDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) or Natural England may bechoose withinto theinclude boundariesor ofamend moreconditions thanfrom onethe ofgeneral theselicence sites.in SACsan andindividual SPAslicence. areFor nearlyexample, alwaysthey alsomay SSSIs.

Calculaterequire yourlower release density

densities.

The

How maximumto densityapply

If ofyou gamebirdsneed youto canapply releasefor underan generalindividual licence GL43to is:  release gamebirds on: 

• within a SAC, 700or birdsits perbuffer hectarezone, ofrequest releasean penapplication orform releaseby area  emailing Natural England at gamebirds@naturalengland.org.uk
• in a SACSPA or its buffer zone, 1,000email birdsDefra perat hectareglenquiries@defra.gov.uk
• both ofa releaseSAC penand a SPA or releasetheir area  buffer zones, email Defra at glenquiries@defra.gov.uk

ForYou individualshould licenceemail applications,Defra youby willSunday be7 askedApril. Include the following information:

• your full name
• the SPA you plan to submitrelease on or within the sizebuffer inzone hectaresof
• the numbers of eachcommon pheasants and red-legged partridges you plan to release penon the SPA or area,buffer andzone the– proposedspecify numberhow many of birdseach bird you plan to berelease released.in Iteach isarea
• the unlikelydate you plan to submit your full application

You can send your information after this date, but Defra will beonly ablereview toit after considering information submitted by the recommended deadline. If Defra has granted licences for your release asite higherby this time, they could refuse your application or reduce the density of gamebirds underyou ancan individualrelease. licenceThis thanis thedue figuresto above.the Incombined someeffect limitedof andreleases.

Defra specificwill cases,send you mayan needapplication form once they receive your information.

Before you apply to release gamebirds on a lowerSPA density.

or its buffer zone

IfBefore anyyou gamebirdsapply arefor shotan individual licence for a SPA or killed,its youbuffer mustzone, notgather releaseinformation moreand birdsevidence ifto thissubmit willas exceed‘supplementary information’ in your application. This could include photos, maps or documents.  

Submitting information after you apply could significantly increase the allowedtime limit. it takes Defra to process your application.  

ToYour calculateinformation and evidence should show how manyyou birdsplan to avoid adverse impact on the SAC or SPA. In particular, you canshould release,show multiplyhow you will reduce the sizerisk of yourdirect releaseand penindirect inbird hectaresflu bytransmission between gamebirds and protected species (‘features’). Use Site Search to find the maximumconservation releaseobjectives densityand protected features for your site. release site.   

ForInformation example,and forevidence ayou 2-hectaregather releasecould peninclude:  

• advice withinfrom aan SACornithological expert or consultant - Defra boundary,will multiplyconsider 2all (hectares)information byand 700evidence (theyou maximumgive, releaseincluding densityfrom permittedpractitioners, bybut GL43).they Thiswill wouldgive resultappropriate inweight ato maximumexpert opinion 
• any aspects of 1,400the release site that reduce the risk of gamebirds youinteracting canwith releaseprotected fromspecies, thesuch penas undercliffs GL43. 

  Toor measurerivers - Defra will not be able to visit shoot locations when assessing your application 

• your plan for shoot days, including the sizelocation of yourshooting releasepegs, pen,direction you can:will  

  1. Opendrive MAGICgamebirds, maps. 

     and how you will move gamebirds between pens and covers (such as using mobile feeders and whistles) 

  2. Dragyour management activities, including habitat and zoomwildlife management, that will lower the maprisk of bird flu transmission to SPA protected species 

  3. actions you can offer to take to reduce the locationrisk of bird flu transmission on your release pen. site 

Actions you offer could include:  

• Selectfeeding gamebirds away from the ‘Measure’SPA buttonand (thethe rulerbuffer icon). 

  zone 

• Inplacing thewatering pop-upstations window,away choosefrom theany ‘Measurenearby Area’water button. 

  bodies 
• covering feeding and watering stations to avoid contamination from wild bird droppings 

• Onreleasing thegamebirds map,on selectdates pointswhen alongSPA protected species will not be on the boundarysite 

• properly disposing of your pen. 
  carcasses 
• training staff on biosecurity 
• increasing health checks on gamebirds to catch early signs of disease 

WhenYou must be able to comply with any actions you selectoffer theto finaltake. pointIf Defra approves your application, they could become mandatory conditions of your boundary,licence double-click.and Thewildlife areainspectors may carry out compliance checks.

Getting a decision on your application 

Defra or Natural England will complete an initial review of your application to check that: 

• you have applied for the correct licence 
• all required information is included and readable 
• pen inlocation squarereferences metresmeet willthe appearspecifications in the pop-up. Useapplication form 
• release densities are consistent with the drop-downgeneral tolicences 
• you changehave accepted the unitdeclaration 

They will confirm that they have received your application after reviewing it against these criteria. If you fail to ‘Hectares’.meet these criteria, they will contact you by email and give you 5 working days to improve the application.  

They will then fully review your application, assessing whether there is enough evidence that your release will not have an adverse effect on the SAC or SPA. To do this, they will review your application as a project and complete a habitats regulations assessment (HRA). 

Defra or Natural England will send you a decision on your application by email. If it is: 

• approved, they will send your licence by email 
• refused, they will send you a letter explaining the decision by email

Get help 

Contact glenquiries@defra.gov.uk if you have any questions about: 

• the general licence for releases on SACs and their buffer zones (GL43) 
• the general licence for releases on SPAs and their buffer zones (GL45) 
• the individual licence for releases on SPAs and their buffer zones 
• all licences, such as which licence you can use 

Contact gamebirds@naturalengland.org.uk if you have questions about:

• applyingabout forthe an individual licence for releases on SPAs or SACs and their buffer zones

zones.