Rural Payments and Services

This is an old version of the page

Date published: 30 March, 2015

Date superseded: 23 December, 2015

The Predator Controloption 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 members of the crow family (corvids), foxes, stoats, weasels and mink which prey on birds such as black grouse and waders, particularly during the breeding season.

For bird features on a designated site, carry out predator control where you have evidence predators are impacting on the breeding bird interest to the point the bird features are at risk of being in 'unfavourable condition', or prevented from returning to 'favourable condition'.

In your predator control plan, mark the locations where you intend undertaking predator control and what sort of traps you propose to use.

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.

In order to carry out predator control in a legal and humane manner makesure you comply with all legislation and codes of practice, including:

• the general licence as issued each year by Scottish Natural Heritage
• the British Association for Shooting and Conservation codes of practice on shooting, lamping, trapping of pest mammals and trapping of pest birds
• the British Association for Shooting and Conservation code on snaring

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.

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.

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