I'm actually not sure whether it was illegal or not, both to have the air gun and to fire it at starlings- the neighbours did complain though - i mean he was firing the thing in a built up residential area with kids playing out and that - it is understandable in that respect, plus he was usually firing at folks houses, and telephone masts as that is where they were usually perched, ready to descend down and dump on his car. Not sure where the law stands on shooting birds like that. He had a shotgun too which he did have a license for - but thankfully took that out into the woods for rabbits and other various flying specimens.