Gamekeepers having a dig at RSPB...again!

[Ukwildlifeo]

Another gamekeeper/RSPB?BOP story today.

Gamekeepers hit out at RSPB for only protecting 'iconic' species - Telegraph

The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation are complaining the RSPB are too focussed on irconic species, and are not doing enough to protect less iconic species, something I do agree with to some extent.

However, they then say:

Meanwhile birds like curlew or golden plover, that rely on the moorland managed by the shooting industry, continue to decline because of a lack of support

I thought they were protecting these birds by managing their habitat, but the numbers are falling and its all the RSPBs fault?

My favourite part is this though:

“Most of the UK’s native bird of prey populations are currently at or near record highs,” said a spokesman. “None is classified as endangered. The RSPB rarely point this out as it regards iconic birds of prey as flying fund-raisers.

Makes it sound like we should be tripping over hen harriers! What are these records? Numbers since 10 years ago!? Last I heard most birds were still way below Pre-DDT poisioning levels and even the big successes such as red kites are increasing but not up to levels before we wiped them out! As for the "“None is classified as endangered" what absolute rubbish. Many certainly are on a national level, look how many are 'red listed.'

Meanwhile, many less photogenic birds that are really are in serious decline nationally – such as the curlew, which thrives on land managed by gamekeepers – are largely ignored by the RSPB.”

Is it just me or is this basically saying that the people managing the land arn't managing it properly for curlews to breed. And who is managing the land?

[Podgod]

They have obviously not seen our latest campaign about the House Sparrow, or the one about the Kittiwake then.

[RoyW]

This is the sort of tit-for-tat response that will continue to be seen every time there is an RSPB press release about the persecution of raptors - and it does neither side (or the raptors, waders, and gamebirds) any good.

Without checking, I expect that the statement than no British birds of prey are listed as endangered is correct though, this is an official classification, and is entirely separate from the 'red/amber/green' listings - I would expect that no raptor is listed as more than 'vulnerable' in the UK.

It is also incorrect to assume that just because birds that regularly breed on land managed for shooting are declining, that means that the land isn't being managed properly for them. Numbers of Curlews on every managed grouse moor could be stable, or even increasing, but the species could still be declining in the UK (perhaps partly because the extent of areas managed for grouse has reduced).

It also may seem true that organisations like the RSPB care more about 'high profile' species, because these are the ones that get mentioned in the press, and in fund raising. The RSPB does work to protect other species, but unless this is better publicised the 'average person' won't necessarily know this.
High profile species are the ones that the press prefer to feature, and the ones that pull in money from fundraisers, so I can't see this changing quickly - but I do think conservation organisations need to do more to show the public that they are there for all species.

[Adam Cheeseman]

Perhaps the gamekeepers should get more involved in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan then! Species that the RSPB hold up as flagship species are chosen because of their public appeal upon which they hope to raise funds. The Bittern for example is a good example of this, but the benefits to reedbeds and associated wetland habitats used by Bitterns by this targeted fundraising is quite significant. So it's not necessarily fair to say that the RSPB are targetting iconic species for their sake alone.

Cheers,

Adam