Oak sapling



Barn Owl


All bats and their roosts are highly protected by law.


All our surveyors have the necessary licences for working with bats and their roosts in the UK.


We can provide a preliminary ecological appraisal which includes a bat risk assessment.

If required, bat emergence/re-entry surveys and transect surveys can be designed to determine the presence of species either in buildings or using areas and flight lines of land that may be under consideration e.g. a renewable energy project.


Initial building and tree assessments for bats can be carried out at any time of year but bat activity surveys are optimal between May-September. Activity surveying in April and October is regarded as sub-optimal. Hibernation sites can be surveyed between December-March with November and April considered sub-optimal for surveying hibernation sites. With these constraints forward planning is essential.


If a bat roost is identified, we work with you and your team to write the European Protected Species Licence application, including necessary mitigation, to advance your project with Natural England and to find an acceptable solution for you and the statutory authority.

Most wild birds are protected by law.


Section 1 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 makes it an offence to intentionally kill, injure or take any wild bird or to take, damage or destroy any nest while it is being built or used, or its eggs.


Sometimes common and widespread species can impose delays on projects without adequate survey and forethought on how to proceed.


AW Ecology can undertake the following surveys and give advice on how to take your project forward:


  * Breeding Birds          *  Waders & Wildfowl

  *  Wintering Birds       *  Barn Owls



Visit the Bat Conservation Society's

Goldfinch Buzzard