Bird Surveys
In the UK, all wild birds, their nests and eggs are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) making it an offence to intentionally kill, injure or take them or damage nests in use or being built. Developers must adhere to the mitigation hierarchy of avoid, mitigate, compensate. If there is potential for development to disturb wild birds then surveys may be necessary before development can proceed.
Breeding bird surveys require visits early in the morning, approximately 30 minutes before sunrise. Usually two visits per season will be required, one in early spring (April to mid-May) and one in late spring (mid-May to June). Various methods may be used including line transects, point counts or mapping depending on the site.
Nesting bird checks are required prior to vegetation clearance or demolition. Sites are observed for signs of nesting activity, walked over, and vegetation, buildings or other structures are thoroughly checked by hand for active nests by a qualified ecologist. Any active nests found need to be cordoned off with a sufficient buffer and surveyed again after two to three weeks.
Wintering bird (or non-breeding bird) surveys take place in the winter months, between November and February to assess the ecological impact of a proposed development. The surveys gather evidence on presence, abundance, habitat use and behaviour of migratory birds in the UK. Surveys usually require several visits with observations made early in the morning when bird activity is at its peak.
