Our new neighbours have a bird of prey, possibly a Harris Hawk, in their garden. It's tied to a post with hardly any slack to move about. It's quite a built up area with terrace house all around. Is it illegal to keep a bird like this with nowhere to fly about?
Most birds of prey are kept tethered rather than in aviaries. Their natural behaviour is to sit still to conserve energy between meals, so this isn't necessarily cruel unless the bird is getting no flight time. If the bird is taken out to fly by its owner on a regular basis and has access to water to drink and bathe in then it's not illegal.
If you have any concerns, take a look at this page:
http://www.rspca.org.uk/utilities/faq/-/question/ENQWADLicencesToKeepBirdsOfPrey
Hi Ren
I answered a thread about this a couple of weeks ago. I don't there is much you can do if the bird is fed and sheltered. Any doubts you should contact the RSPCA who will check it out.
Personally I think birds should be registered and checked regular.
Most owners are good owners.
Ray
I would love Barnsley Lads answer to be the right one, sadly thats not the case anyone can keep a bird of prey as a PET!
I am sure that birds kept for the sport of hawking have to be licenced and have proof that the bird was captive bred.I'm sure the moderators will have more info on this.
There are strict rules about keeping birds of prey in the UK. One of them is that the bird must have been captive bred. Here are the rules:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/hamidk/falc_law.htm
The people to ask if the bird in question is legal are the RSPCA, as they issue the required licences.
Information about housing birds of prey:
http://hubpages.com/hub/How-best-to-start-out-in-falconry
http://www.falcons.co.uk/default.asp?id=17
Unknown said: A few species must be registered with Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and they are listed in Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act. These are golden eagles, goshawk, honey buzzard, marsh harrier, white-tailed eagle, Montagu’s harrier and osprey. Keepers of peregrine falcons and merlins must also be registered unless the bird is covered by a Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) certificate (see below). If you know which species is being kept, or want further information about whether birds should be registered, then contact Defra on 0117 372 8774 or read the information about bird registration on their website. In addition to the requirement that some species are registered with Defra when kept in captivity, the commercial trade in protected rare birds of prey and other birds listed in Annex A is strictly controlled under European Union CITES trade regulations. These Annex A birds can be used for commercial purposes as long as the bird has been bred in captivity, is fitted with an approved close-ring and has an Article 10 certificate. An Article 10 certificate is not needed to keep these birds, but is required if the bird of prey is being kept for commercial purposes, including if it is on sale, on display or being bred to sell the offspring. If offspring are being sold, then an Article 10 certificate would also be required for the parent birds.
A few species must be registered with Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and they are listed in Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act. These are golden eagles, goshawk, honey buzzard, marsh harrier, white-tailed eagle, Montagu’s harrier and osprey. Keepers of peregrine falcons and merlins must also be registered unless the bird is covered by a Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) certificate (see below). If you know which species is being kept, or want further information about whether birds should be registered, then contact Defra on 0117 372 8774 or read the information about bird registration on their website.
In addition to the requirement that some species are registered with Defra when kept in captivity, the commercial trade in protected rare birds of prey and other birds listed in Annex A is strictly controlled under European Union CITES trade regulations. These Annex A birds can be used for commercial purposes as long as the bird has been bred in captivity, is fitted with an approved close-ring and has an Article 10 certificate.
An Article 10 certificate is not needed to keep these birds, but is required if the bird of prey is being kept for commercial purposes, including if it is on sale, on display or being bred to sell the offspring. If offspring are being sold, then an Article 10 certificate would also be required for the parent birds.
The bottom paragraph a certificate is not needed to keep the birds, but is if it is kept for commercial purposes
Unknown said: Buzzard, Honey Pernis apivorusEagle, Golden Aquila chrysaetosEagle, White-tailed Haliaeetus albicillaFalcon, Peregrine Falco peregrinusGoshawk Accipiter gentilisHarrier, Marsh Circus aeruginosusHarrier, Montagu’s Circus pygargusMerlin Falco columbariusOsprey Pandion haliaetus must be ringed and registered
Buzzard, Honey Pernis apivorusEagle, Golden Aquila chrysaetosEagle, White-tailed Haliaeetus albicillaFalcon, Peregrine Falco peregrinusGoshawk Accipiter gentilisHarrier, Marsh Circus aeruginosusHarrier, Montagu’s Circus pygargusMerlin Falco columbariusOsprey Pandion haliaetus
must be ringed and registered
It is only native birds that must be registered
Hi mpiekp
Just doesn't go far enough. And if they want volunteer inspecters I'me willing to be trained up.