The Government Changes the Law To Suit Those Breaking It

Imagine you were a criminal. In what world would the government allow a thief to change the law so they could carry on breaking into houses without repercussions?  Well, that’s what is likely to happen in the

wildlife crime sector.

Image by Erwin Bosman

A shocking 1.9 million woodpigeons (1) are killed every year under General Licence (2).  This can be done at any time of the year, even when they are breeding.  In the recent consultation called Protecting Wild Birds [1], the government admits that “little thought  needs to be given by hunters as to whether dependent young are in the nest.”  

"a shocking 1.9 million woodpigeons

are killed every year under

General Licence."

And yet, the statutory bodies responsible for creating this General Licence are either Natural England, NatureScot or Natural Resources Wales.  All of which are government bodies.  So pretending that hunters are solely responsible would be misleading at best.

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Condoning The Killing

As woodpigeons are a protected species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 [3], they can only be killed using a General Licence. The reasons allowed for killing under General Licence include " preventing serious damage to livestock, foodstuffs for livestock, crops vegetables, fruit, fisheries or inland waters."[2]

Killing woodpigeons for any other reason is breaking the law. And yet, the consultation clearly states that...

.

"there is plenty of evidence" that

hunters are killing woodpigeons

for entertainment and food."

Let’s be clear, breaking the terms of the General Licence is breaking the law.  Those who do this are committing a wildlife offence.

You might be forgiven for thinking the government had plans to crack down on these wildlife criminals.  But brace yourself.  They are actually proposing to change the law, to allow those breaking it, to carry on breaking it.  

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Yup, you heard that right.  An unusual precedent for any government to set and it’s hard to imagine any other crime sector where this would happen.

Instead of strengthening the law, the government proposes adding the woodpigeon to Schedule 2.1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.  This is in essence a Kill List.  This would allow those who are illegally killing pigeons for recreation or food to have a legal avenue for killing them.  

"Instead of strengthening the law, the govermnent proposes adding the woodpigeon to....a Kill List."

The Government’s Mask of Mercy

All three governments in Great Britain are keen to distinguish in law the difference between killing woodpigeons as “pests” or killing them for entertainment and food.  The government’s logic is to give woodpigeons “some protection on animal welfare grounds” [1] during their breeding season.

The reason this would give them some protection is that there would be a close season when hunters would not be allowed to shoot pigeons.  This would coincide with their breeding season. 

While this sounds very admirable, it seems somewhat implausible that welfare is their driving motivation.  These are the people who facilitate the General Licences that allow people to kill wildlife with dependent young.  And then blame it on the hunters.

Image by Phil Mitchell

How to Create A Perfect Storm

The Government goes on to admit that adding woodpigeon to the Kill List and creating a close season “will not end the practice of shooting in the  breeding season (nor eliminate adverse welfare outcomes for dependent young when  adult birds are killed during this period).” [1] 

This is because the government is still allowing hunters to use a General Licence to kill woodpigeons in their breeding season, alongside killing them in an open season.  This will allow those breaking the law to carry on killing with impunity.

"the government is still allowing

hunters to use a General License

to kill woodpigeons in their

breeding season."

While the Government “expects” less recreational shooting when woodpigeons are breeding, that may not be the case.  There are no guarantees that fewer woodpigeons will be killed.  In fact, it seems likely that more might be killed.  

The Government may be creating a perfect storm for woodpigeons.  They have  proposed removing other bird species from the Kill List and reducing the length of time that some can be hunted.  This is likely to exert greater hunting pressure on the woodpigeon. 

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Amber Listed For A Reason

At present, the woodpigeon is on the Amber List.  This Birds of Conservation Concern 5 status (4) is partly based on the international importance of our breeding population.  The UK woodpigeon population represents at least 20% of the European population. (5)

Damage the UK population of woodpigeons and we jeopardise them as a species in Europe. Of course, this would make the UK population less internationally important and, counterintuitively, could afford them less protection.

Being on the Amber List is the equivalent of the canary in the coal mine.  It warns conservationists and policy makers that a bird is at “moderate risk”.  The benefit of this is to assign protective measures now, before it is too late. 

Instead, the governments propose putting the Amber Listed woodpigeon on the Kill List.  This goes against logic, science and fundamentally undermines national conservation targets.

"This goes against logic, science and fundamentally undermines national

conservation targets."

The Passenger Pigeon Prophecy

You may remember the tragic story of the Passenger Pigeon (6).  There were thought to be as many as 5 billion of these birds in North America.  So many that they would darken the skies.  

With the commercialisation of pigeon meat, they went extinct.  With the last passenger pigeon called Martha dying in captivity in 1914.  This bird went from billions to extinct in about a century.  In large part due to hunting.

So when I hear “the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments all propose the hunting of woodpigeon for recreation and harvest for food,” I hang my head in despair.  Commodifying any wildlife could irreversibly jeopardise their survival.  Maybe not now, but in decades to come, we could look back on this moment with prophetic horror.

Sources

[1] Defra (2026) Protecting Wild Bird: Consultation on Amending the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 which allows certain species of wild birds to be killed or taken outside of their close season.

[2] Natural England Statutory Guidance - Wild birds: Licence to kill or take to prevent serious damage (GL42).

[3] The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

[4] British Trust for Ornithology (2021) - Birds of Conservation Concern 5.

[5] Defra - NRW Schedule 2 Review - Woodpigeon Columba palumbus.

[6] Natural History Museum - Passenger pigeon: How the world's most common bird went extinct.