Ruddy Duck Cull

david156 · #1 (**permalink**) 01-12-2009, 08:59 PM

Hi all,

Just read this article about a ruddy duck shoot at staines.

UK400ClubRareBirdAlert: Four hours of cold-blooded killing - the murderous campaign continues

It really p****d me off.

I just need to share this and calm down!!!

thebeard · #2 (**permalink**) 01-12-2009, 11:34 PM

its sad that they're bein persecuted because of mans mistakes, terrible.

aeshna5 · #3 (**permalink**) 02-12-2009, 04:30 AM

So the cull finishes in March 2010 then?

rossy · #4 (**permalink**) 02-12-2009, 06:33 AM

whats the reason for the cull ? im not happy ! rossy.

loripo · #5 (**permalink**) 02-12-2009, 06:39 AM

The Animal Aid website says...
Ruddy ducks are being targeted because some have reportedly spread from the UK to Spain where they are mating with the endangered white-headed duck. The result of this mating is an 'impure' hybrid, which some conservation groups don't like. Their answer is to kill the ruddys.

The white-headed duck is a native European bird. A small population exists in Spain with the remainder in Turkey and further east. The numbers of white-headed ducks in the Central Asian populations has declined markedly since the 1930's from around 100,000 to perhaps 5,000 birds. This includes a crash in numbers at the white-headed duck's main wintering site in Turkey. The east Asian population in Pakistan has also fallen, from around 1,000 birds to in the late 1960's to only 50 in 1995. Destruction of habitat and excessive hunting are the main reasons for their decline in numbers and only the western Mediterranean population has benefited from protection measures.

It must have been very expensive to organise this cull for seven birds. Happily it seems some escaped

thebeard · #6 (**permalink**) 02-12-2009, 02:20 PM

As WH duck aren't native in this country i don't see why theres much of a problem. also loads of our other ducks hybridise all the time. argh. i suppose there could be the danger of Ruddies migrating from here to the continent, not sure though, doubt it.

davejg · #7 (**permalink**) 02-12-2009, 02:23 PM

Was'nt the RSpb one of the instigators of this cull?

thebeard · #8 (**permalink**) 02-12-2009, 02:41 PM

they certainly supported it

david156 · #9 (**permalink**) 13-12-2009, 04:39 PM

Just read an article on Ruddy Ducks and this is just a couple of extracts;

"There is no doubt however that Fera have been exceptionally successful in their campaign, totally eradicating some 6,200 or more 'sitting ducks' - perhaps 90% of the pre-cull population."

"It also concludes by saying that complete eradication is expected by this spring."

More alarming is this part of the article!!

"The list of native birds killed or wounded during the programme since just September 2005 include a Common Scoter, Black-necked Grebe and 2 Little Grebes (in fact 29 birds in total of 7 species )"

JeffH · #10 (**permalink**) 13-12-2009, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davejg

Was'nt the RSpb one of the instigators of this cull?

Both the RSPB and the WWT are in support of this cull.

For anyone wanting more information as to the reasons for the cull (and an alternative view to some of the other references posted

) please see here -

Non-native species - Ruddy Duck

http://www.nonnativespecies.org/Rudd...%20Leaflet.pdf

Jeff