When to Cut a Hedge to Avoid Nesting Birds

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When to Cut a Hedge to Avoid Nesting Birds

There is a surprising amount of legislation surrounding hedges, from the height of a hedge to when you can trim it. You may be unaware of this but nesting birds in hedges are protected by the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981.

Whilst a wild bird is building or using its nest, any damage or destruction it might suffer is an offence under this act which means you cannot trim your hedge during nesting bird season.

You might be wondering, when is nesting bird season in the UK and how long does it last? As plant specialists and wildlife lovers, we are passionate about protecting the environment and the wildlife that lives in it so stick with us as we explain everything you need to know about when to trim your hedge.

When do birds start nesting in the UK?

Usually, bird nesting season in the UK begins around March time for the duration of the Spring and Summer. Birds often nest in hedges because of the safety it affords their eggs and chicks from predators. 

While bird nesting season starts in March, it is important to check your hedge thoroughly before any serious trimming, no matter what time of year you plan on pruning or trimming it, just in case.

When does bird nesting season end in the UK?

Towards the end of the Summer, in August, bird nesting season comes to an end and it is much less likely that you will find birds in your hedges or shrubs. If, at any point, there are nesting birds then you will need to stop and postpone trimming until after August. This ensures you are not disturbing nesting birds or other wildlife. We understand that it might be frustrating to hold off on trimming your topiary but it is safer than potentially disturbing nesting birds.

How to tell if birds are nesting in your hedges

If you are wanting to trim your hedges and need to understand whether there are any nesting birds around, there are a few tell tale signs to look out for:

• If you can see birds frequently flying in and out of your hedge, that is one of the biggest signs you have nesting birds
• You may have spotted a nest while observing your hedge – this doesn’t necessarily mean that it is active so it’s important to continue observing it to see whether any wildlife occupies it
• Can you see any nest building materials that are commonly used during bird nesting season in the UK? This could be a combination of twigs, feathers, grass and leaves

If you have a particularly tall tree or hedge in your garden, you may not be able to tell straight away whether it’s home to a bird’s nest. If this is the case, take extreme caution when starting to trim your hedge and keep checking to ensure there are no signs of any wildlife.

It is also important to remember that some birds build their nests on the ground. While this possibly won’t affect your hedge trimming, you need to proceed carefully to avoid harming the nest when branches fall.

What to do if you find birds nesting in your hedge

As we’ve mentioned, nesting birds are protected by the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 so if you find a bird’s nest in your hedge, you should avoid creating disturbance in the area until it is no longer occupied.

If you find a nest and continue to trim or prune your tree, hedge, or shrub, you could end up damaging it which could be breaking the law, even if you’ve done it accidentally.

We don’t think there’s any need to risk breaking the law, damaging bird’s nests or potentially harming wildlife living in your hedges which is why we recommend planting our Bird Friendly Mixed Hedging. It’s meant to be trimmed after August so there’s definitely no chance of disturbing any nesting birds, and you’ll encourage beautiful wildlife to your garden!If you have any questions about bird nesting season in the UK or the best time to trim hedges, please get in touch with us today.