Don't disturb birds by trimming your bush, warns government

The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture is asking people to avoid trimming hedges and banks during nesting season.

The main season for bird nesting runs from March to August, and DEFA says it's an offence to recklessly or intentionally damage or destroy wild birds or their nests, eggs and chicks. 

It's encouraging people to leave major cutting work until winter.

But if cutting needs to be done, the department says people should check for nests thoroughly and try to trim using hand tools, rather than machinery.