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Wild bird crime |
Bird of prey persecution
Birds of prey continue to be the targets of systematic criminal persecution, despite having been fully protected for decades. All birds of prey have been protected since 1954 (except for the sparrowhawk which received protection in 1961). Despite this protection, birds of prey continue to be the target of systematic criminal activity. Bird of prey persecution includes poisoning, shooting, nest destruction and the illegal use of cage traps and spring traps (eg pole traps). Scotland experiences a disproportionate amount of the known illegal bird of prey killing in the UK. Several studies have shown a strong association between the killing of birds of prey and management for game bird shooting, especially in the uplands. Of the defendants convicted of offences relating to the persecution of birds of prey since 1980, over 80% were involved with game bird shooting, and most of these were gamekeepers. The following three species are particularly targeted and highlight the problem of illegal bird of prey persecution. Hen harrierThe hen harrier, relative to its population, is considered the most persecuted bird of prey in the UK because of its unpopularity on grouse moors. It suffered a huge decline during the 19th century and became confined to Orkney until the 1930s when new forestry plantations provided suitable habitat to allow the recolonisation of mainland Britain. The last hen harrier survey in 2004 indicated that the population across the UK as a whole had risen to 749 pairs (up from 521 pairs in 1998), but that there had been significant decreases in areas with a concentration of grouse moors. In 2006, breeding figures for hen harriers in England showed there were 22 breeding pairs, 10 of which bred successfully, producing 36 fledged young). Two of these successful nests were helped by providing supplementary food for the chicks after the adult males mysteriously disappeared. Research by the RSPB has shown that the number of hen harriers killed in Scotland (on average 55-74 females each year) far exceeds the number of reports received by the RSPB. Most of the persecution of hen harriers is believed to take place on private land, and therefore goes unwitnessed and unrecorded. Human interference was recorded on 48% of estates studied and the number of young produced each year was three times higher on non-grouse moors compared to moors managed for grouse shooting. Survival of breeding females on grouse moors was half that on other moorland. The total disappearance of hen harriers from some traditional nesting areas indicates that shooting and destruction is the number one factor affecting the conservation status of this species. The Joint Raptor Study (JRS) was published in 1997. This was a five-year study of the relationship between birds of prey (hen harriers and peregrines) and red grouse. It was undertaken by the Game Conservancy Trust and the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, and supported by Buccleuch Estates, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, the Scottish Grouse Research Trust and the RSPB. The study took place at Langholm in Dumfries and Galloway, and a number of other estates. The JRS shows that birds of prey cannot be blamed for the long-term decline in grouse bags. Raptor numbers have increased at Langholm only after 1990 yet grouse bags have declined there since at least 1913. However, high densities of hen harriers and peregrines made driven grouse shooting economically unviable. The more serious long-term problem is loss of good quality heather because of overgrazing which reduces habitat for grouse and can attract high densities of hen harriers. The RSPB believes that habitat enhancement is critical if moors managed for shooting are to recover their stock of grouse. This is neither a cheap nor a quick solution. In the meantime, providing alternative sources of food for hen harriers appears to significantly reduce the number of grouse taken by harriers during the breeding season. The JRS also confirms the impact of illegal persecution on birds of prey already shown by the RSPB's own studies. For example, the number of hen harriers at Langholm increased from just two to 14 as a consequence of the ending of illegal persecution. Few other grouse moors show such increases. In 2004 the police launched Operation Artemis to crack down on the illegal killing of hen harriers. Visit the Save the hen harrier website from this page. PeregrineRaptor study group data consistently identify poorer breeding performance by peregrines on managed grouse moor than on other upland land-use areas. In north-east Scotland, for example, average productivity at 66 upland peregrine sites was measured over four breeding seasons. Those on managed grouse moor were a third less productive per occupied site than on other upland areas. Those nests on grouse moors in the region that were successful produced no fewer young than those at other upland sites, suggesting that the failed grouse moor sites were not suffering from poor food supply. The peregrine remains a targeted bird, prized both by egg collectors and illegal falconers. The use of DNA fingerprinting to determine family relationships of captive birds has been used to great effect in recent years. There have been several successful prosecutions involving the laundering of wild taken birds of prey that have relied on evidence of this nature. It is hoped that these cases act as a deterrent to those intent on taking young birds of prey from the wild and certainly, the number of nest robberies has declined in recent years. Golden eagleAs a breeding bird, this species is absent from suitable habitat in several areas where grouse moors are the predominant form of land management. Research by Scottish Natural Heritage shows a strong association between poisoning of golden eagles and land managed for driven grouse shooting. Long term solutionsIt would appear that legal protection has failed to safeguard raptors, particularly the hen harrier. This is partly due to the difficulty in detecting incidents and obtaining evidence for prosecutions. Permitting control of these species to enhance the number of game birds shot, which would be illegal under European law, could open the floodgates for increased persecution and could further jeopardise the status of the species. The answer to this conflict must lie in a long term solution to the habitat management problems and not the short term quick fix killing of rare and threatened birds of prey. The RSPB and others with interests in moorland management are working together to find solutions. What can I do?Have you seen a crime against a wild bird? Use this form to report a wildlife crime to the RSPB. Last modified: 10 September 2007 |
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