I'm curious. Does anyone know if non native birds are subject to the same laws and treatment as other non native animals?

For instance, an injured grey squirrel cannot be taken in, treated and re-released into the wild, by law, without a licence, I think.

Does the same rule apply for birds? And, if it doesn't, why not?

Hi Cazzagirl

Yes I believe it does apply to birds (american ruddy duck etc) and even inverts (signal crayfish)
You need to read up on section 14 of the wildlife and countryside act and look at the list of schedule 9 (non-native) species which has just undergone a review.
See
http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-country.../index.htm

Of course pretty much any activity prohibited under the act can be licenced with the relevant permissions.

This is all skirting around a debate on non-native species and how they should be controlled. After all they may be non-native but they don't know that!

I didn't know about the non-native treatment licenses, but I do agree that even though they are non native they are still animals, and it is not there fault they are in the country.