Scottish Gamebird Releases report

This document contains a summary of a study on Scottish gamebird releases, focusing on the Cairngorms National Park. The project gathered data from national and local surveys to estimate the release densities of pheasants and red-legged partridges. It compared bird release numbers and game bag data in Scotland and England from the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust's National Gamebag Census (NGC). Within the Cairngorms National Park (CNP), researchers interviewed managers from ten gamebird shoots to explore gamebird release densities and estate management practices. The study found that pheasant release densities have increased in Scotland over the past 24 years, but there was no significant trend between 2013 and 2023. The CNP shoots generally had lower release densities compared to the Scottish average. The study highlights the need for further research to understand the impacts of gamebird release and harvesting, to inform evidence-based management that supports both biodiversity and sustainable game management.