Most wild bird nests and eggs are legally protected in the UK, but enforcement gaps mean disturbance remains widespread and causes significant welfare harm.
Nest disturbance during breeding causes acute welfare harm at the individual level: abandoned eggs fail to hatch; chicks left in the nest during disturbance face thermal stress, predation, and starvation; parents engaged in distress calls expend energy and face predation risk themselves. At the population level, systematic nest destruction through development or agricultural operations reduces breeding success across large areas. Legal protection is comprehensive but enforcement requires active reporting and the RSPCA, RSPB, and local wildlife crime officers need public support to investigate offences.