Songbird Survival Trust calls for Magpie Cull

pressld2 · #1 (**permalink**) 20-04-2009, 09:50 AM

And Chris Packham argues against it here...

One for sorrow, two for joy ... why we must protect magpies | Environment | The Guardian

I'm with Chris (who has just gone up yet another notch in my estimation - I'm going to enjoy Springwatch with him). Culling magpies is not the answer and encouraging people to do it themselves without the correct equipment or knowledge of how to do it humanely is irresponsible in the extreme.

Dave P.

Jason Green · #2 (**permalink**) 20-04-2009, 11:06 AM

Absolutely Dave! Couldn't agree more.

smartie · #3 (**permalink**) 20-04-2009, 11:19 AM

Wow, tell it like it is, Chris! I too agree completely.

And magpies have their own problems with predation - last year two carrion crows took all the eggs out of the magpies' nest in my garden. A very clever distraction burglary. The magpies are having another go in our tree this year, and very welcome as far as I am concerned.

aeshna5 · #4 (**permalink**) 20-04-2009, 05:35 PM

Well said Chris- I agree whole heartedly with this!

ellen h · #5 (**permalink**) 20-04-2009, 05:46 PM

I totally agree with Chris too,leave the magpie alone!!
Will look forward to watching Chris on Springwatch too

ellen

lovfinion · #6 (**permalink**) 20-04-2009, 05:56 PM

I too believe this is a total knee-jerk reaction buy these so called birdwatchers who seem obliviously ignorant of the true reason for songbird decline US, Magpies are no more to blame on the decline of Songbirds than a Great White Shark..

On a side note working for the RSPB has given me an eye-opener to another corvid the Carrion Crow, one of my fav birds though at the moment my opinion hangs by a thread, why you ask well so far Carrion Crows have predated 4 out of 6 Lapwing nests on my local reserve and it is totally heart breaking especially as I had found the first Lapwing nest late March which was predated 2 days later. It is made worse given the Lapwing sharp decline over the past decades. not that I blame the Crows as they are purely opportunists but still sad to see ..

Jason Green · #7 (**permalink**) 20-04-2009, 07:13 PM

It's just another excuse to get those guns out again, 'I know, let's blame the reducing numbers of popular birds on something numerous!'

eeyore · #8 (**permalink**) 20-04-2009, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovfinion

I too believe this is a total knee-jerk reaction buy these so called birdwatchers who seem obliviously ignorant of the true reason for songbird decline US, Magpies are no more to blame on the decline of Songbirds than a Great White Shark..

..

as i said on the other thread on this song bird survival trust would be better named game bird survival (except that few keepers take them seriously either.) neither the rspb or the bto believe that a general magpie cull is warranted which puts the sbst opinion into a rather harsh light.

Gaina · #9 (**permalink**) 20-04-2009, 08:08 PM

'in areas where there are more magpies, there are typically more smaller species too'.

So that tells me that magpies might actually be keeping the songbird population healthier that it would be otherwise.

If I can deduce that, why can't anyone else?

**bangs head on (padded) keyboard**.

eeyore · #10 (**permalink**) 20-04-2009, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaina

'in areas where there are more magpies, there are typically more smaller species too'.

So that tells me that magpies might actually be keeping the songbird population healthier that it would be otherwise.

If I can deduce that, why can't anyone else?

**bangs head on (padded) keyboard**.

that wasnt the rspb/bto conclusion - they decided that the two were coincidental and not closely linked.

(its also worth noting that "song bird" means thrush, blackbird, starling, robin etc - it does not mean smaller birds such as tits etc even though these birds sing too.)