Magpie trapping!!

Please tell me, in this day and age, its not legal to trap magpies by baiting it with another!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whilst out walking tonight, i came across a trap! one bird on one side and four in another? i frightened a fith bird off. i was very disturbed by this. not only at the birds fretting to get out but the warnings of been shot if i didnt move away from the trap!

Amongst many other things shouted at me ( which i wont post on here ) he also shouted, it was legal and he was well within his rights to trap these birds.

I came away feeling sick that i couldnt do anything and i dont even want to think of the fate of the poor trapped birds.

I thought it was illegal to keep a wild bird in cages? am i wrong?

  • I am not sure about this but surely it is illegal,I would report this to police and local RSPB telling them location,time etc and about you been threatened with been shot,thats definately illegal

    Roger

  • Larsen traps for Magpies are legal but there are strict laws governing their use.

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  • Magpies eat the eggs and kill the young of other birds, including garden and song birds; therefore bird-lovers sometimes like to give song birds a better chance, particularly in spring time when they are trying to raise their young, by capturing and destroying magpies. Larsen traps such as the one you've described are effective for this purpose. It may seem cruel or barbaric to the uninitiated but the practice should be encouraged by anyone who appreciates song birds, which are in decline