Monitors of protected birds must legally inform landowners.

Those involved in monitoring protected birds in Scotland under a disturbance licence, must now inform land managers in advance of monitoring activity conducted on their ground.

A disturbance licence allows persons to disturb or kill Schedule 1 protected birds for scientific, educational, or conservation purposes. Previously those engaged in legal monitoring activities of birds, like hen harriers or golden eagles, did not need to alert landowners to their proposed activities. However, thanks to a sustained campaign from the Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA) this is now a legal requirement.

The SGA argued that since the introduction of grouse moor licensing, land managers require greater awareness of activity being undertaken by third parties on their ground. The new licence condition has been applied by NatureScot, and will take effect for this season and subsequent seasons.

A spokesman for the SGA said: “The new provision falls short of what we originally asked for but it still marks progress. It is also an acknowledgement by NatureScot and the Government that the issues we had highlighted regarding some activity taking place under licence merited a change. Hopefully this will lead to better relations and communications between estates and monitors. It is in everyone’s interest to get this right.”