Is it illegal to shoot song birds in your garden in the UK?

I just found out that the teenage idiot next door has had a visit from the police on Friday because he has been shooting the birds in the garden. My wife feeds some blackbirds in our garden and we had noticed over the weekend that all but one of them had disappeared and the remaining one had an injured leg. Apparently the police did not recover the air rifle involved as the yobo Aaron denies possession of a weapon. I know his parents were on holiday last week and this may have happened whilst they were away. I have tried phoning them and knocking on the door but there is no answer even though I know they are at home. What would you do about this moron and what do you think the law says about it. I`m so mad I could strangle the whole ******* lot of them.



I have already written a few lines for the village magazine outlining what has happened.

Is it illegal to shoot song birds in your garden in the UK?
Contact the RSPCA (secondly the RSPB).
Reply:Here, in the US, depending on the state, it would be either a misdemeanor or a felony, with a charge of animal cruelty.



I imagine it should be the same, or close to it, for you.
Reply:There are two separate issues here. One is whether or not you can kill birds. The other is whether or not you can own (air) guns in the UK. I'm not sure, but I think it's illegal to own air guns in the UK.