Information Sheet 4 - Owls
This information sheet is intended as an informal guide to the basic requirements of the EC Regulations 338/97 & 865/2006) that deal with commercial use of species listed on Annex A.
You should seek your own independent legal advice on detailed points of law. However, we will try to offer advice if you contact us with specific queries.
The information on this page is available as a downloadable document here 
General Points
There is no requirement to register owls and generally no licence is needed to keep them. However, a certificate known as an ‘Article 10’ will be needed for the ‘commercial use’ (see Note 1) of an owl if it is listed in Annex A to the EC Regulations (see below). It is not an offence to be in possession of an owl without a certificate, whether it is ringed/microchipped or not, providing it can be proved that it is captive-bred and not being used for any commercial gain (see Note 1). It will be your responsibility to show that a bird is lawfully in captivity.
If you intend to use birds commercially, Information sheets 1, 5 and 6 will be useful. Contact us if you are unsure about any aspect of commercial use.
Captive Bred Owls
The following owls, and their sub-species, are included in Annex A to the EC Regulations. All forms of commercial use are prohibited unless an Article 10 certificate has been issued by us or another European CITES Management Authority. To be granted an Article 10 certificate the bird must normally be fitted with a close ring and/or microchip.
| Annex A Owls | |
|---|---|
| Aegolius funereus | Boreal Owl |
| Asio flammeus | Short-eared owl |
| Asio otus | Long-eared owl |
| Athene blewitti | Forest owlet |
| Athene noctua | Little owl |
| Bubo bubo | Eurasian eagle owl |
| Glaucidium passerinum | Eurasian pygmy owl |
| Mimizuku gurneyi | Norfolk boobook |
| Ninox novaeseelandiae undulata | Christmas hawk owl |
| Ninox squamipila natalis | Lesser eagle owl |
| Nyctea scandiaca | Snowy owl |
| Otus ireneae | Sokoke scops owl |
| Otus scops | Eurasian scops owl |
| Strix aluco | Tawny owl |
| Strix nebulosa | Great grey owl |
| Strix uralensis | Ural owl |
| Surnia ulula | Northern hawk owl |
| Tyto alba | Barn owl |
| Tyto soumagnei | Soumagne’s owl |
Wild Disabled Owls
Article 10 certificates for sale are not issued for any wild disabled owl. However, a certificate may be issued for educational display only. An applicant must provide a letter from a veterinary surgeon confirming that the bird is permanently disabled and provide full details of its acquisition.
Notes
- ‘Commercial use’ includes display to the public for commercial purposes, sale, keeping for sale, offering for sale, transporting for sale and breeding for commercial purposes. This definition applies to all specimens listed on Annex A of the Regulation and the term ‘sale’ includes hire, barter and exchange, invitation to treat and other cognate expressions.
- Any reference to Article 8 and Article 10 shall mean Article 8 and Article 10 of Council Regulation (EC) 338/97
Page last modified:17 March 2008
Page published: 17 March 2008