Is it illegal to use a live wild bird to bait traps? What should you do if you see it happening?
Sorry Scooby I don't know the answer but I have seen a Larsen trap used near me and they used a live magpie to trap the other - not very nice to say the least.
Chez
You have no control over what life & people throw at you - but you have full control over how you deal with it!
Hi Scooby, it might be worth contacting your local RSPCA , also here is a link you might be interested in.
http://www.againstcorvidtraps.co.uk/news/hoghton_tower_scandal
I have to say it made my blood boil watching the video in the link, the video is very sad, and this kind of practice should not be allowed,
There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed.
Hello.......
YES IT IS ILLEGAL to trap wild birds and doing so you are breaking the law and could find yourself in Jail or faced with a very heavy fine of £1000's...
Anyone seen, or found traping birds without a licence would face the same... ringers, ( people licenced to ring birds) are all licenced and registered ....
If you have seen this trapping then you should report it to the RSPB as soon as you can... and contact the police giveing them vehicles details if you can... place where trapping took place... time you saw the trapping ... types of traps... how many was doing trapping.... etc..
I am a volunteer countryside ranger and i see many signs of hare courseing, badger digging and even poisoning of birds of prey in my local area... REPORT IT NOW........
dont just look enjoy and leave for others to share after you. we dont own the earth we just rent a small part of it....
Hi Kestrel
On the RSPB website it says that larsen traps are legal if used for the corect purpose, one being protection of wildlife. The person I know who sets the traps would probably use that as the excuse. I saw them take a bird out and smash it's head on the side of the trap and throw the body to his dogs. It made me feel sick. Unfortunately it seems the law is on his side. Very sad.
Hi Derek, i think i should choose my words carefully. So the bird in question was inside a chicken mesk box about the size of an indoor bird cage (canary type) . With it was a bowl of water and a dead rabbit which had been shot. It was located near a wood copse. I believe it may have been an 'Ouzel' Male. It appeared to me that the bird rather than being captured by the trap was in fact the bait for something else. Of course someone will have to have caught the bird in the first place.
Last year i rescued 2 carrion crows that had been thrown out their nest (probably due to their markings) and released them with minimal imprint 6 weeks later. I was sure i had read that it was illegal except in certain circumstances. As my previous case. Do you still think as i do that they're breaking the law? It is a local land owner of a very large estate.
Hi Scooby if you check the link that I've added above, you will see that it is not illegal, depending on what they are doing with these birds and what traps and birds are being used, it could easily be above board, you will see on the link that the birds in traps must be checked on at least once in a 24hr period and be provided with fresh drinking water, if you suspect anything untoward I would contact your local RSPCA, if the birds are being mistreated they could face prosecution.
With the information here it's hard to say whether this would actually be illegal or not -
Larsen traps are only legal if they are used in the correct way - Firstly, the operator must be working within the guidelines of a General Licence, issued by Natural England (0845 600 3078). The operator must also be satisfied that appropriate all non-lethal methods of control, such as scaring, are either ineffective or impracticable.
The General Licence allows the trap to be used only for the control of: crows, magpies, rooks, jackdaws and jays. All Larsen trapping operations must be carried out for a purpose. Simply hating crows, for example, is not a valid reason.
General licences are issued for the trapping and killing of birds for the following reasons:
1. To prevent serious damage or disease; preventing the spread of disease and for preventing serious damage to livestock, foodstuffs for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber, fisheries or inland water.
2. To preserve public health and safety.
3. To preserve air safety.
4. To conserve wild birds.
The traps must be physically inspected at intervals of no more than 24 hours, except where it is not possible because of severe weather conditions. Any decoy bird must be provided with adequate water, shelter and a perch. Any non-target birds must be released immediately upon discovery. When the trap is not in use, it must be rendered incapable of catching or holding birds or other animals. Captured birds, provided they fall within the legal quarry list, may be dispatched by an approved method.
If any of the above criteria are not met then you can report the trap and the operator to the police, via a wildlife crimes officer (WCO), or through CrimeStoppers - 0800 555 111.
If you are in any doubt, i would suggest contacting the police, so they can check the legality of the trap's operation.
The organisation 'Against Corvid Traps' actively campaign against the use of Larsen traps, and chase prosecutions for those that mis-use them - http://www.againstcorvidtraps.co.uk/ or http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4883098611
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Hi LRB
Great information about the cruelty of catching of Corvids. It shows us the rights and the wrongs of trapping them.
Corvids seem to be in the limelight at times, and I hate to think that they are NOW being put on the same level as BoP's. They seen to be an 'unforgotten' bird that has the same rights to live as any other wildlife should. Still they are given the kill and be killed status too.
They may be not protected the same as ie BoP's, but still it does not excuse any cruelty to the birds involved.
The thing I find so disheartening is the amount of crows that where shot and poisioned in the last 25 years or so. SOME farmers/landlowners took a delight in tying the Corvids by their necks onto field posts. Was this a deterrent for other Crows that is one thing I will never know and understand? hmm.
Love to hear what others think here?
I never understood why this was such an necessity in life other than the 'humans' version of frightening living corvids out of the area for reasons of their own
Sadly it appears that our 'ever' rarer UK Ravens {Corvid} are caught up in the poison bait too, along with our BoP's and that is sad to hear too.
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Liz R said: With the information here it's hard to say whether this would actually be illegal or not - Larsen traps are only legal if they are used in the correct way - Firstly, the operator must be working within the guidelines of a General Licence, issued by Natural England (0845 600 3078). The operator must also be satisfied that appropriate all non-lethal methods of control, such as scaring, are either ineffective or impracticable. The General Licence allows the trap to be used only for the control of: crows, magpies, rooks, jackdaws and jays. All Larsen trapping operations must be carried out for a purpose. Simply hating crows, for example, is not a valid reason. General licences are issued for the trapping and killing of birds for the following reasons: 1. To prevent serious damage or disease; preventing the spread of disease and for preventing serious damage to livestock, foodstuffs for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber, fisheries or inland water. 2. To preserve public health and safety. 3. To preserve air safety. 4. To conserve wild birds. The traps must be physically inspected at intervals of no more than 24 hours, except where it is not possible because of severe weather conditions. Any decoy bird must be provided with adequate water, shelter and a perch. Any non-target birds must be released immediately upon discovery. When the trap is not in use, it must be rendered incapable of catching or holding birds or other animals. Captured birds, provided they fall within the legal quarry list, may be dispatched by an approved method. If any of the above criteria are not met then you can report the trap and the operator to the police, via a wildlife crimes officer (WCO), or through CrimeStoppers - 0800 555 111. If you are in any doubt, i would suggest contacting the police, so they can check the legality of the trap's operation. The organisation 'Against Corvid Traps' actively campaign against the use of Larsen traps, and chase prosecutions for those that mis-use them - http://www.againstcorvidtraps.co.uk/ or http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4883098611
Hi Scooby very unlikely the bird in trap a Ouzel as a very rare bird and never heard of one being used as bait.The fact is that has the law is now as long as food and water provided for bird in trap in my opinion it is impossible for anyone to be convicted.Just look at all the reasons that anyone can use them for,that list goes right from aircraft safety to saving song birds,anyone can find a reason amongst about a dozen get outs.Can tell you which you may not like but plenty of small bird lovers consider that they are saving lots of small birds by using these traps and they are not all just killing for the sake of it.