# Buzzard Legalities please



## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

I had someone in the shop today who buys frozen from me to feed to their buzzard.

They recently had a visit from the RSPCA after being reported. The RSPCA said some things about buzzards not being legal to keep. The bird has no license, no papers, no rings. The RSPCA did not however leave any information whatsoever with the owner as to what legalities were needed, or what she could do about it.

She looks after it well, and rescued it as a chick from some teenagers who got it from god knows where and were mistreating it.

The RSPCA have told her that it will most likely be confiscated based on legalities, but they would get back to her.

Obviously she's on a knifes edge, she hand reared it and has tamed it, her conditions are fine and she feeds it well.. the RSPCA are apparently confiscating it purely on legalities.

Can anyone confirm to me what the legalities regarding keep buzzards in captivity are? Does she need a license/paperwork/ring/whatever... and if she does, is it possible to get one even if she does not know the origins of the bird, or is it doomed to be taken away regardless?


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## Robbie (Dec 4, 2006)

If she can prove the buzzard is captive bred then she's fine.
I know certain watchdog groups have been quite active in checking illegally obtained eggs. Do you know what kind of Buzzard she has?


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

The only thing she can prove is that she's had it a few years and had it when it was young... she has no way to prove it's origin or that it's captive bred.

I don't know what buzzard it is.. I didn't think to ask, I told her i'd try and get some info on the legalities and her position, but I'm really not a bird of prey person. It's not a huge bird but she buys 10 chicks for it a week, and occasionally mice, and says it stands about 2 foot tall. Sorry, that's no help at all.


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## Robbie (Dec 4, 2006)

Hmm.
I'm not totally sure what she can do then. If the bird was taken as a chick or egg from a wild birds nest, I'm sure that is punishable.


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## PendleHog (Dec 21, 2005)

Which it could well have been if it was kids that had it originally... to be absolutely honest if it were my bird I would ask a friend to house it for a while and tell the RSPCA it escaped while she sorts legalities.


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## Nerys (Apr 18, 2005)

heya

ask on here...

*International Falconry Forum

*would be better to pm someone privately, and ask, rather than ask "online" as they can be quite "jump down your throaty" at times!

N


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## Nerys (Apr 18, 2005)

however, i can say, as a UK native species, there are controls on keeping them, to prevent them being taken from the wild 

i own another UK native bird of prey, and she is registered and rung to prove she is captive bred and not stolen from a nest somewhere..

buzzards are protected at all times. Subject to new sales controls under COTES 97

you could indeed have the bird taken if you cannot prove where it came from

N


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## VieT (Jul 10, 2007)

yeh they are right all ducumentation is needed....

HOWEVEr.. if you can prove u ahd ti from such a young age... and again if they can prove that they took it from being mis treated.. (character reference should do --- enter YOU)

then they should be able to register it now.. 

depnding on age.. and like i say... need to prove theyv had it all that time

(photos from young ?)

all the best

James


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## Natrix (Dec 9, 2006)

The guy to speak to is Andy Meads at Safewings.
Andy deals with this sort of situation all the time and should be able to advise on what to do to be legal.

From his web site at Contacting Safewings Bird Sanctuary - UK 

If you need any advice on wildlife matters then please don't hesitate to contact Safewings:

e-mail [email protected] 

or telephone: +44 (0) 1536 726113.

or write to:

*Safewings*,
46 South Street,
Isham,
Northamptonshire,
NN14 1HP,
United Kingdom. 

Natrix


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

My own kestrel (has the same level of protection as a common buzzard) was not captive bred, but a wild born bird that was orphaned. he was reared from so small that he is an imprint and so unable to be released. because of this he also has no ring, however he is perfectly legal. microchipping is acceptable as a permenent mark if a closed ring is not possable and he is registered as wild disabled and so is entiteled to the apropriate A10. he is legal to keep although there are restrictions on other things such as selling him that would not effect a captive bred bird. contact DEFRA and they should be able to provide you with the advice and paperwork that you need to get the bird legal.


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