Corvid cull looming

Question

Please see http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/8286034/Magpies-and-crows-to-be-culled-to-protect-songbirds.html 
 This is bad on an epic scale. A hugely undesirable precedent, interfering with natural processes on the basis of bad science (or no science at all), a tiny pressure group apparently driving the agenda, and no apparent action by the authorities to, at least, explain what is actually going on (though the Telegraph might have missed it). 
 This is indeed a black day for biodiversity.

Phil · Answer

Unknown said: 
 Please see http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/8286034/Magpies-and-crows-to-be-culled-to-protect-songbirds.html 
 This is bad on an epic scale. A hugely undesirable precedent, interfering with natural processes on the basis of bad science (or no science at all), a tiny pressure group apparently driving the agenda, and no apparent action by the authorities to, at least, explain what is actually going on (though the Telegraph might have missed it). 
 This is indeed a black day for biodiversity. 
 
 The proposed cull by the Song Bird Survival Charity is a ploy to encourage the killing of 'game bird' predators and nothing to do with song birds who as we know are decimated by cats, barn restoration, industrial farming practice and hedge row removal. Use the net to spread the word and stop the cull!

davidbinos · Answer

Good morning Frank 
 "largely exonerated crows, magpies and raptors from causing songbird population declines." 
 
 As I am sure the G&WCT research one will find.

mpiekp · Answer

Sooty I'm with you on this, no ONE entity is to blame, it is an accumulation of MANS abuse of the planet. 
 It is not right to point the finger in one direction, the changes to farming practises have all been driven by mans greed and owner/occupier mentality. It is not solely the fault of farmers, corvids,raptors or gamebird shooters it is a sum of all these parts and our attitude to it is to point the finger at anyone but our own. 
 When infact it is all OUR faults and the only real solution is to change the way everything works....

IanH · Answer

Hi all 
 Just a reminder that we are happy for forum users to use this forum to discuss topics strongly but please do so in a polite manner and respect other peoples entitlement to their opinions. It is obvious on such an emotive issue that feelings will run high on all sides but please, keep it calm. 
 Just to address a couple of points that were raised, firstly Sooty, you may see large aggregations of magpies over winter as many will gather in communal roosts. However they are unlikely to stay at such a high density through the year as during the breeding season most of them should pair up and defend a territory from other magpies. Those not able to do so may form a roving flock of non-breeding birds. As few species are nesting over the winter months i doubt that the high number of magpies currently roosting in your area are having an impact on nesting birds and they should have dispersed by the main breeding season. 
 Secondly, the cirl bunting reintroduction project is aimed at re-establishing the cirl bunting back into Cornwall. The project uses birds taken under license from the naturally recovering population in Devon for this and you can see how well it is going via the link here and here . The Devon population has been successful due to great partnership work between local farmers, the RSPB and Natural England. 
 On the issue of corvid predation and the impacts on songbirds specifically, all the research to date (RSPB, GWCT and BTO as have been mentioned on this thread) points to other factors being responsible for any declines. Whilst declines in farmland specialists are linked with changes in farming methods, declines in woodland birds and some generalists and urban birds show links to problems with their habitats and food supply. House sparrows have been shown to struggle to find sufficient insect prey to raise healthy young , starlings and swifts roof nesting sites are under threat through new building techniques and many woodland species have declined through the degradation of their woodland habitats. 
 As you can see from the link here , the RSPB does not object to appropriate and targeted predator control in situations where it has been proven to be essential for species recovery. However we do find it frustrating that corvids are continually used as a smokescreen to deflect the attention away from the real conservation issues behind the decline of many songbird species.

Jon3012 · Answer

It makes me laugh that people on a RSPB site can speak out against culling something. In the real world the RSPB cull as many animals for basically the same reasons as any game/land manager. 
 Deer are culled to prevent habitat destruction, foxes to save ground nesting birds, gulls poisoned for the same reason. Don`t make me laugh and say that culling magpies and crows is terrible have a look in the mirror. Its just the RSPB don`t go shouting out that they shoot deer and kill gulls because that wouldn`t make a good press release. 
 It has been recently recorded that the numbers of ground nesting birds on the RSPB reserves are at very low levels due to massive predation pressures whereas reserves with controlled predator levels have an abundance. 
 My final point is that if i see anyone else write`nature is balanced` i will scream. Humans got rid of that balence a long time ago with motorways, farming to feed millions and millons of people, factories, cities the car and i could go on. All we can do now is manage what we have farmers and shooters have more resources to help the wildlife of this country than the RSPB can ever dream to have.