Magpie in a cage

That would be a Larsen trap. The 'decoy' Magpie attracts others, which are caught in the trap. Landowners can use them legally under certain circumstances, though there are guidelines protecting the welfare of the decoy bird and any Magpies that are caught in the trap.

Here's what the RSPB have to say about it: http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/m/magpie/legal_control_methods.aspx If the cage is out in full sun or doesn't contain a food and water supply, you can call the police about it.

I'm sorry you saw something so upsetting. Magpies are brilliant birds - it would have upset me dreadfully too.

Hi Twitter and welcome to the forum,

I echo what Aiki has said, and no wonder you were sickened. I am sickened just reading your post.

Interesting you were near Garstang - one of my favourite haunts in times gone by.

Thank you for your comment

Garstang is a nice place to visit and viewing nature is very good

Sorry you saw that Twitter but time the RSPB had a different attitude to Magpies as even though there are lot less Swallows saw one nest completely taken just before fledging and if you added it all up from far too many Crows,Magpies and Jackdaws the effect on small birds is horrific and most people who work on the land will tell you we now have too many of them and the old plum answer of let nature take its course is quite honestly a load of rubbish because of course humans have changed everything so much that you cannot just leave things to take there course or probably as a example Red Kites would have never made a come back.You do of course have my sympathy but so do all the small birds literally hundreds i have seen Magpies demolish.

Not sure I can condone what you say, Sooty.

My smallish garden is an outdoor aviary - jam packed full of song birds all day, eating me out of house and home. I also have several jackdaws who hang about in my garden all day, there are crows and magpies everywhere in the sky, tree tops and rooves. I also have an almost resident sparrowhawk. So with all these predators about, why do I have so many songbirds? If your theory was right, I wouldn't have any, let alone so many I can't possibly count them all.

michael s said:

Sorry you saw that Twitter but time the RSPB had a different attitude to Magpies as even though there are lot less Swallows saw one nest completely taken just before fledging and if you added it all up from far too many Crows,Magpies and Jackdaws the effect on small birds is horrific and most people who work on the land will tell you we now have too many of them and the old plum answer of let nature take its course is quite honestly a load of rubbish because of course humans have changed everything so much that you cannot just leave things to take there course or probably as a example Red Kites would have never made a come back.You do of course have my sympathy but so do all the small birds literally hundreds i have seen Magpies demolish.

Hey Sooty

You criticised Peacelover in another thread for wanting to cull Collared Doves. Can you explain why you take a different view in this thread about Magpies, please?

Thanks

Pipit

oooh, I was going to bite my lip on this one but for what it's worth have decided not to.

Linda and Shan I agree entirley with your points too and if I could just add one of my own but pointed towards the RSPB:

Why is it perfectly legal for a farmer to trap a wild bird, to let it suffer the constraints of a cage in an open field.  I'm assuming it will be without food, goes without saying as if this poor thing is going to be destroyed anyway along with those that are captured, the chances are it won't be fed or watered.  However if the said same bird were to come into the common garden and the same fate befell it, it would be looked on as totally unacceptable.

(you wouldn't believe this has taken me so long to write, I've added and deleted, that this thread is probably answered by now!)

Unknown said:

However if the said same bird were to come into the common garden and the same fate befell it, it would be looked on as totally unacceptable.

Hi Kezmo

It will be interesting to see if anyone from the RSPB replies to this thread.

I think you're absolutely right.