Hedge cutting UK (1 Viewer)

One of my neighbours is having his hedge cut, quite a long stretch around his garden. I thought it was illegal to cut hedges at this time of the year due to disturbance of nesting birds. Can anyone advise wether this is legal or not.
Jackie

It is legal to cut hedges at any time of the year. It is however also illegal to intentionally destroy a nest whist in use or to destroy eggs. The key point here is "intentionally", you must know the nest was there and intentionally destroy it. For some rarer birds the broader term "recklessly" is used, see the list of "schedule one" birds here, https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-w...e-law/wildlife-and-countryside-act/schedules/

Some farmers may be in receipt of certain grants that restrict them from cutting hedges during the breeding season but this is unlikely to the case for a garden.

I would suggest a quiet word might be better.