Members are being encouraged to make arrangements now.
Recently, we informed members keeping pheasants and partridges that they would have to register their birds by December 1st, see: https://www.scottishgamekeepers.co.uk/latest-news/2024/2024-09-05-members-time-to-comply-with-new-scottish-kept-bird-register.php
However, it has since been clarified that birds kept as decoys will also now have to be registered- within one month of them being used in an active trap.
Members using decoys will have to register, here: https://keptbirdregister.service.gov.scot/
and create an account.
Locations of cages will have to be given although, if using a number of decoys in a given location, registering the one land unit will be acceptable.
Similarly, if a cage’s location is moved, it doesn’t need to be re-registered.
In the section where it asks information on details of birds kept, you will have to specify the combined number of birds kept in all cages within your location/s or land unit/s.
Where it asks which species you are keeping, select ‘other birds’. Where it asks what you are keeping them for, state: ‘Other captive birds’.
Where it asks for a more specific reason, state: ‘Hunting/pest control’.
*The SGA is grateful to GWCT Scotland and Felix Meister for sourcing the original information regarding the inclusion of decoy birds on the Register and is thankful of being able to reproduce the material, here.
