Timing guide
Written by Craig, Foundation Garden & Trees
Hedges can be cut all year, but active nests are protected. The safe habit is to check first and keep heavy work outside the main nesting months.
5 minute readUpdated September 2026Last updated:
The main bird nesting season runs from March to August.
It is an offence to damage or destroy an active nest while in use.
A visual check before work is the practical protection.
The Wildlife and Countryside Act protects wild birds, their eggs and their nests while those nests are in use. There is no blanket ban on cutting a garden hedge in summer, but if there is an active nest in it, the work has to wait.
Farmland hedgerows sit under separate cross compliance dates, which is why agricultural contractors stop earlier in the year than a domestic hedge cutter does.
Most gardens fall into a simple pattern once you plan a year ahead.
We look through the hedge face, not just at it, and watch for birds repeatedly entering the same point. If a nest is found, that section is left and flagged for a return visit once it is clear.
Leaving a small untouched block while cutting the rest is usually better for you and for the birds than cancelling the whole visit.
Common questions
Yes, provided there is no active nest in it. Check the hedge carefully first and leave any nesting section alone until the young have fledged.
There is no fixed date for garden hedges. The nesting season is generally treated as March to August, and farm hedgerow rules under cross compliance run from 1 March to 31 August.
Work stops in that section immediately. We complete the rest of the hedge and return to finish the remaining part later in the year.
Autumn and winter. Growth has stopped, birds are not nesting and the hedge has months to recover before it is on show again.
Work needed for genuine safety, such as a hedge blocking sight lines on a road, can go ahead, but it should still be planned to avoid harming an active nest.
Straightforward advice
Call Craig or send photos, your location and a short description for an initial estimate.
