Generally, the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in the UK has legislated through the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (Chapter 69) that it’s illegal to harm or kill wild birds, such as pigeons and seagulls, unless an individual adheres to certain licences. Suppose a property owner is subjected to a situation where he/she needs to get rid of a bird from his/her garden or backyard. In that case, non-lethal measures must be undertaken first before resorting to shooting them. It should also be noted that it is the property owner’s responsibility, whatever the contractor does, to deal with the situation.
Thus, yes, individuals adhering to general licences can shoot certain types of pigeons in specific situations, in the UK in 2024.
What licences apply to shooting pigeons in the UK?
Natural England and DEFRA published a general licencing system for managing wild birds, mammals, and other animals in England in January 2015. Defra currently issues General Licences in England. You do not need to apply for a General Licence, but you are required by law to abide by their terms and conditions. The general licences permit the killing or capturing of certain species of wild birds, such as pigeons, for the sake of public health or public safety or for the preservation of livestock or crops.
Each general licence has its own terms and conditions, which collectively revolve around protecting and conserving the public and the environment. The following licences may apply to shooting pigeons (depending on the type of pigeon).
| UK Licences | General Licence Purpose |
| GL41 (England)
GL03 (Scotland) GL002 (Wales) TPG1 (Northern Ireland) |
These general licences are for the purpose of preventing serious damage to livestock, foodstuffs for livestock, crops, vegetables, or fruit, or to prevent the spread of disease to livestock, foodstuffs for livestock, crops, vegetables, or fruit. |
| GL42 (England)
GL02 (Scotland) GL001 (Wales) TPG2 (Northern Ireland) |
These general licences are to preserve public health and prevent the spread of disease. |
Please note: different licences apply to wood pigeons and feral pigeons. If you use the wrong licence you could end up in trouble with the law, so keep reading to discover which licence you can use for each type of pigeon.
Natural England continues to promote the use of non-lethal methods to deal with wild birds. Any individual who resorts to cruelty and brings unnecessary suffering to animals and birds is dealt with under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. If you are questioned by police about shooting pigeons you may be required to prove that you tried to use non-lethal methods to deal with pigeons before you shot them.
In addition, there are licences related to the use of live traps for birds in England, which you should also be aware of.
You should visit this website to get the full, up-to-date information on all licence types available in England
What types of pigeons can I shoot in the UK?
Shooting licences are merely rules governing what you can shoot and in what situation you can shoot it. You do not need to apply for these licences but simply abide by them. Here are the different licences that you need to abide by when shooting pigeons in the UK:
| General Licences England | General Licences Scotland | General Licences Wales | General Licences Northern Ireland | |
| Feral pigeon | GL41, GL42 | GL02, GL03 | GL001, GL002 | TPG1, TPG2 |
| Woodpigeon | GL42 | GL02 | GL001 | TPG2 |
What’s the difference between feral pigeons and wood pigeons?
Large flocks of pigeons are common in many cities across the country. But can you tell the difference between a feral pigeons a wood pigeons?
Feral pigeons
Feral pigeons are abundant in London. They may appear unintelligent, yet their bird brains are much more complex than you think! They can recognise people who feed them, for example. This means they’ll go to someone they know who will feed them in public. Once one pigeon arrives, the others will swarm to see what the person has to offer.
Feral pigeons enjoy nesting in cities. Abandoned structures are a favourite habitat of these pests. The pigeons can settle down to breed in your building if the building has a water source. Large numbers of them frequently live in the same building. You might not think of a feral pigeon as a pest, but they can carry diseases and are quite dirty. If you have pigeons in your loft, as an alternative to shooting them, try removing their water source, and they may move on.
Wood pigeons
A wood pigeon, on the other hand, is more particular about what they eat. Leaves, fruits, and berries are among their favourite foods. If it comes down to it, they’ll have seed. But a nice blackberry would be preferable. Because they have a better diet and can find food more easily, wood pigeons are often fatter than feral pigeons.
Wood pigeons like to build their nests in quieter areas. Woods, parks, and gardens are ideal locations for them to construct their nests. Most nests are found near roads and rivers, where water is readily available. They are more vulnerable to predators such as foxes since they reside in the countryside rather than in towns.
To put it simply, the pink breast, white neck patch, and white patches seen on its wings during flight distinguish the wood pigeon from the feral pigeon.
Can I shoot pigeons with a firearm?
According to the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), there are different regulations when using firearms, which also generally apply when shooting birds.
Discharging a firearm within fifty feet of a carriageway without valid permission or fair excuse is illegal in England and Wales, particularly if a user of the carriageway is harmed, disrupted, or endangered. For example, if a member of the public is inconvenienced in any way because of your shooting, it likely means you have broken the law.
Section 19 of the Firearms Act also applies to having a “firearm in a public place.” This law extends to all public spaces, not simply open-access property.
When a public walkway crosses private property, the landowner’s ownership and sporting rights are affected. As a result, a person with shooting/sporting rights on their property may not shoot on or over public footpaths on their property, as members of the public should be able to transit safely.
Discharging a firearm in the street to block, disturb, or endanger residents or passers-by is illegal. Any road, lane, court, plaza, highway, or public route is designated as a “street,” according to Section 28 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847.
Therefore, in simple terms, firearms can only be used on private property, which is not near public property, and shootings must not cause any issues for members of the public.
Can I shoot pigeons with an air rifle?
Target shooting, pest control, and hunting small ground wildlife are just some of the applications for air weapons. Assuming your air weapon is legally compliant, the same general pigeon shooting licences apply.
