Rural Payments and Services

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The Predator Control option supports predator control on permanent grassland or rough grazing to benefit 'qualifying bird features' on designated sites, or active black grouse leks.

Predator control is an important part of conservation and wildlife management.

It can be carried out to control crows (carrion crow, hooded crow, jay, magpie), as well as foxes, stoats, weasels and mink which prey on birds such as black grouse and waders, particularly during the breeding season.

The option will encourage predator control to be undertaken where this has not already been conducted or increase the predator control effort where you are already engaged in predator control.

You must demonstrate in your predator control plan how the predator control effort is likely to provide benefit to ‘qualifying bird features’.

You may apply for either:

• crow control only (which funds the purchase of individual crow traps. Shooting effort will require to be combined with trapping effort)

or

• mammal and crow control (which funds on a hectarage basis - note that the individual trap payment is not available under this option and that crow control will require shooting effort to be combined with trapping effort)

Where there are ground nesting bird features designated on your land or black grouse leks (including land up to 1.5km from the boundary of the lek that is still within your land).

For ground nesting birds, not black grouse leks, you must also show that the bird features are at risk of being in 'unfavourable condition', or prevented from returning to 'favourable condition'.

You will need to confirm with Scottish Natural Heritage that predator control has the potential to improve the condition of qualifying bird features.

In your predator control plan, mark the locations which you think are important breeding bird areas and black grouse lek areas. Then mark where you currently undertake predator control specifying where you undertake lamping and or trapping.

Identify where you are increasing predator control effort and how you think this is likely to move the qualifying bird features to favourable status.

If you do not currently undertake predator control mark out where you intend to undertake such control whether through lamping, shooting or trapping. You must demonstrate how your efforts are likely to improve qualifying bird features to favourable status or protect functioning leks.

Also show what the current predator control activities are and what is being proposed above and beyond the current situation.

This option only supports actions over and above the current activities that are focused within or immediately adjacent to the boundary of the designated site.

Predator control aimed at protecting black grouse leks is limited to the area within 1.5 kilometres of the lek, and the lek must be verified by your local Black Grouse Project Officer or the RSPB.

In order to carry out predator control in a legal and humane manner, highlight how you currently or intend to comply with all legislation and codes of practice.

Highlight how you will reduce disturbance to nesting birds whilst lamping or trapping, if this may be an issue. Further information on protected birds can be found using the link below.

Protected birds

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation codes of practice provide information about the law and predator control, and also provide guidance on health and safety.

When reviewing your predator control plan Scottish Natural Heritage will assess:

• whether the designated ground nesting bird features are vulnerable to predation
• whether they are likely to benefit from predator control
• that the level of predator control is sufficient to benefit the bird feature over the whole of the area included within the predator control option

For small mammal trapping

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation: Trapping Pest Mammals

There are several types of small mammal traps. The most commonly used are smooth-jawed spring traps or live-catch cage traps, but multi-catch drop traps may also be used. Operators of these do not require an identification number, nor do the traps. The use of spring traps is governed by the Spring Traps Approval (Scotland) Order 2011 and operators must comply with this.

Live capture traps are governed by the Animal Health & Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006. The main requirements are for humane dispatch / release of non-target animals and the need to check such traps at least once every 24 hours. Applicants must comply with these legislative requirements.

For corvid trapping

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation: Trapping Pest Birds

Two types of live-catch types are commonly used – Larsen traps and larger multi-cage traps.

Whichever kind of trap is used it is essential to ensure that they are of a legal design and operated legally – including obtaining a trap operator ID from Police Scotland and displaying it on all of your crow traps.

You must:

• provide all decoy birds with adequate shelter from the prevailing weather conditions, a perch, suitable food and drinking water at all times
• make sure you have enough time, in the case of a single occupier / owner, or staff to inspect traps every day at intervals of no more than 24 hours
• kill captured crows quickly and humanely
• release all non-target species immediately, unharmed

For snaring

Joint agency guide for practitioners guide on snaring

Accreditation certification is available from the following providers:

• Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT)
• Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA)
• The British Assocation for Shooting and Conservation (BASC)
• Scottish Association For Country Sports (SACS)
• Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)
• North Highland College
• University of the Highlands and Islands
• Borders College

You will also need to register with Police Scotland to obtain an operator ID and ensure all of your snares are tagged with this ID.

For lamping

• The British Association for Shooting and Conservation – code of practice for lamping (night shooting)

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