We sit in our gardens and enjoy the birds who come to our feeders, delight in their antics and bask in the glory of their songs. But did you know that you can keep British Birds in a cage or aviary under the right conditions? We issue wildlife licences for a range of purposes, and falconry and aviculture are listed as purposes for which licences can be granted under the legislation. This includes the potential to take a small number of birds from the wild for these pursuits – but only if strict welfare and conservation conditions are met. The taking of birds from the wild for these purposes is also practised in a number of other European countries. British finches are often associated with mules, a term used by cage bird breeders to refer to hybrids of finch species bred in captivity, such as that of a goldfinch and canary. There are now strict ringing regulations on British finches in places such as the UK, but they are still kept by aviculturists who care for them in much the same way as canaries. The seed mixture in the UK known as British Finch & Mule is their basic diet. The behavioural biology of waterbirds. In: Rose, P. E. (ed), The Behavioural Biology of Zoo Animals, 1st edn. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp. 153-170

The main problem with greenfinches is an illness called ‘going light’. This is a sulphur deficiency which sees the bird almost waste away. However, there are some good products available now to treat this at a young age to prevent this happening as the birds get older.

Evidence for aviculture: identifying research needs to advance the role of ex situ bird populations in conservation initiatives and collection planning. Birds, 2, 77-95 Collaborating to save greater sage grouse in Canada. IUCN, Species Survival Commission, Conservation Planning Specialist Group [Accessed: October 2022] Most successful breeders recommend a canary mix rather than a bullfinch mix to feed them with as there are less fatty seeds in a canary mix. They also enjoy treats such as blue maw, also known as poppy seeds, and apples. The whole dandelion plant can be offered, as long as it comes from a spot which has not been treated with any chemicals.

However the desire to establish a pure British blood lineage sounds almost sinister to me; at best it is entirely branding/marketing-driven and I cannot see how this is in the public interest. Considering the ability of these birds to cover large distances I also wonder to what extent it is fiction - while individual breeding pairs might be sedentary, the population as a whole may well be connected to those on the Channel Islands and those in continental Europe. The knowledge of bird behaviour gained from observing populations in the wild benefits the development of ex situ husbandry programmes for captive individuals. Expertise from the zoo, eg design, construction and siting of nest boxes to encourage breeding in new locations (Beilby, 2022), has direct impact on wild populations by evidencing how to augment habitats to improve their quality and usefulness for threatened species at specific times. Final thoughts We aren’t barbaric killers, we are the worlds best and least understood naturalists. And every Falcon that we touch lives within us for the rest of our lives. Mallard: Anas platyrhynchos. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019 [Accessed: November 2022]

Biographies for Birdwatchers

British finches are quite simply birds in the finch family which to this day live wild in the British Isles. Common crossbill ( Loxia species) ( Note: In Victorian times the Scottish crossbill had not been identified) Special greenfinch mixes can be bought from suppliers and in addition, they can enjoy safflower, sunflower and hemp seeds, mung beans, defrosted garden peas, egg food and niger seed. They are sturdy birds so if kept in a cage; watch levels of fattening seeds such as sunflower and niger to avoid overweight birds. Bullfinch

They will nest in nesting pans and like to build a nest up with coconut fibre or similar materials. Conclusion As far as breeding British goes, these species mentioned are just the tip of the iceberg. There are a great number of species kept in captivity as well as mutations of these birds and European versions, such as the Siberian Bullfinch and Goldfinch. These are very similar to our familiar British birds so when purchasing, always find out exactly which bird you are buying. Since seeing a real live Falcon at the age of ten, some 33 years ago, I have always found complete awe in the knowledge that it is possible for a human being to take a completely wild animal, the Peregrine Falcon, some would say the wildest of all the animals, and tame her using infinite patience, positive reinforcement only (punishing a bird of prey is counter productive, we never consider even speaking harshly to our falcon), love and time. To such a level that the Falcon will genuinely want to fly with and hunt with the human for no other reason than the symbiosis that they have together developed. The falconer would feed the falcon when she was unsuccessful, and share in her kills when the hunt bore fruit. Thus ensuring her survival for the first few critical years of her life. Then when she reaches sexual maturity the falconer would cast her to the wind for the final time safe in the knowledge that she was completely self sufficient and could go on to breed more of her kind that he may one day encounter himself. This chain of events has continued in broken for literally 2000 years. And every time I consider it, then it completely blows my mind. Falconry is an ancient tradition which has been practised in England for centuries and is recognised as an ‘intangible cultural heritage of humanity’ by UNESCO. The applicants wish to breed verifiably British peregrines for use in their falconry activities, and the European Commission’s (EC) Wild Birds Directive includes reference to the sustainable use of species to fulfil cultural requirements, providing this does not affect their conservation status.

Many bird species are close to extinction. BirdLife International Data Zone [Accessed: October 2022] The behavioural biology of hornbills, toucans, and kingfishers. In: Rose, P. E. (ed), The Behavioural Biology of Zoo Animals, 1st edn. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp. 185-196 We understand that some people may have questions and concerns over the taking of birds from the wild and so I wanted to outline more about our decision. A peregrine falcon. Credit: Pixabay