Rural Payments and Services

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The aim of this option is to benefit ground-nesting birds, such as black grouse and waders which are vulnerable to predation, by legally controlling crows, foxes, stoats and weasels.

Permanent grassland or rough grazing is eligible if it is either:

• within or immediately adjacent to a designated site where the qualifying interests include ground-nesting birds, or
• contains, or is adjacent to, active black grouse lek(s). Predator control can be funded within a 1.5 kilometre radius of leks

You must combine this option with one of the following options:

• Moorland Management
• Wader and Wildlife Mown Grassland
• Wader Grazed Grassland

You can check if this option is available on your holding here.

You, or the person undertaking predator control on your behalf, must hold relevant personal identification numbers from Police Scotland for snaring and / or bird trapping.

You must prepare and submit for approval a predator control plan. The plan must detail the location, area and method of proposed predator control activity (crows only, or mammals and crows). It must also detail the personal identification number of the person operating the traps, and identify the proposed trap or snare locations on a map.

For crow control only

• you must purchase the agreed number of Larsen traps by the 1 June of the first year of your contract. (Larsen mate and Larsen pod traps are not eligible for payment)
• traps must be tagged with the operators authorised identification number clearly visible
• each spring, you must set and operate the trap(s) as detailed in your predator control plan
• you must maintain a diary of the activity undertaken, including the current location of traps and dates that traps are set, or unset
• you must submit a report each year of the activity undertaken to RPID

For mammal and crow control

• you must manage the same location and extent each year for the duration of your contract
• you must set and operate traps and / or snares in the locations detailed in your predator control plan
• traps and / or snares must be tagged with your authorised identification number clearly visible
• you must maintain a diary of the activity undertaken, including the current location of traps and / or snares, dates that they are set and unset, or removed and dates of any lamping work
• you must submit a report each year of the activity undertaken to RPID

You can claim:

• for crow control: £259.60 per trap operated up to a maximum of ten traps per contract
• for mammal and crow control programme: £2.18 per hectare

Control may take place out with the nesting period but only work undertaken from 1 March until 30 June is eligible for payment.

The inspectors will check:

For crow control only:

• you have purchased the agreed number of Larsen traps by 1 June of the first year of your contract. (Larsen mate and Larsen pod traps are not eligible for payment)
• traps have been tagged with the operators authorised identification number clearly visible
• each spring, you have set and operated the trap(s) as detailed in your predator control plan
• you have maintained a diary of the activity undertaken, including the current location of traps and dates that traps are set, or unset
• you have submitted a report each year of the activity undertaken

For mammal and crow control:

• you have managed the same location and extent each year for the duration of your contract
• you have set and operated traps and / or snares in the locations detailed in your predator control plan
• traps and / or snares have been tagged with your authorised identification number clearly visible
• you have maintained a diary of the activity undertaken, including the current location of traps and / or snares, dates that they are set and unset, or removed and dates of any lamping work
• you have submitted a report each year of the activity undertaken

Supporting guidance is available for this option.

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