What is the RSPB guidance on an area where a family of Magpies, 9 in number, have made their homes. Last year when there was only about 5 0f them. they decimated the nests of the other birds in the vicinity. ie blackbirds, sparrows, etc. I realise that they are protected, but when they do the damage that they do, can something not be done about them?
geordieyork said: What is the RSPB guidance on an area where a family of Magpies, 9 in number, have made their homes. Last year when there was only about 5 0f them. they decimated the nests of the other birds in the vicinity. ie blackbirds, sparrows, etc. I realise that they are protected, but when they do the damage that they do, can something not be done about them?
Most British members of the crow family (including magpies) will take eggs and nestlings. This can be upsetting to witness but it is completely natural. However, some people are concerned that there may be a long-term effect on songbird populations.
Many of the UK’s commonest songbirds have declined during the last 25 years, at a time when populations of magpies increased. To find out why songbirds are in trouble, the RSPB is undertaking intensive research on species such as the skylark and song thrush.
To discover whether magpies (or sparrowhawks) could be to blame for the decline, the RSPB commissioned the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) to analyse its 35 years of bird monitoring records.
The study found that songbird numbers were no different in places where there were many magpies or sparrowhawks from where there are few. It found no evidence that increased numbers of magpies have caused declines in songbirds and confirms that populations of prey species are not determined by the numbers of their predators.
It is the availability of food and suitable places in which to nest that decide the population.
Having discounted predation as a possible factor, the RSPB continues to study the loss of food and habitats caused by intensive farming. The change from spring to autumn sowing and the increase in the use of agricultural chemicals have reduced the amount of insects and weed seeds available for songbirds to eat.
These changes, and others, including the removal of hedgerows which are used for nesting, roosting and feeding sites by some birds, have probably played a part in the severe declines in many of our farmland species.
Many people are concerned that the use of some garden chemicals may also remove the birds’ natural food supply, and may be a problem when they are raising their young. If you are worried about garden chemicals, please write to the Henry Doubleday Research Association, at the National Centre for Organic Gardening, Ryton on Dunsmore, Coventry CV8 3LG, who will advice you on alternative methods of pest control."
(from http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/gardening/unwantedvisitors/magpies/songbirds.asp)
They are beautiful birds and very intelligent too - if they ate every single songbird in existence there would be none left, and eventually no magpies either - they would hardly destroy a vital food source. It may be sad to see your songbirds predated but the magies are just trying to survive like all the rest - they have just as much right to live and live freely as any other wild bird.
Hi Geordieyork and welcome to the forum,
Anna has said all there is to say on the matter. It is nature and we must accept it.
michael s said:some people who consider them a serious pest to song birds do actually trap them in traps that do not kill them,don't know what they do with them.
I know what they do. They take them out of the trap and cosh them to death.
Cheers, Linda.
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How very barbaric. Clearly some humans never get past the neanderthal cave-person stage.
The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.
The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!
Bit over simplified to blame agriculture for decline in farmland birds as while it has had a influence just like things like more houses and car driveways and parking spaces,garden hedges pulled out for cars,industrial estates and lots of others the woodland birds have suffered even worse and cannot possibly be blamed on agriculture so obviously some other problem is involved with the decline in general.Cats and Dogs roaming around definitely do not help.
As much as I love magpies, I don't like it when they raid nests. I also hate it when the sparrowhawk takes birds from the garden. However, it's just part of nature and while you can try to discourage it if you see it happening, it's still going to happen somewhere, somehow. I remember Chris Packham saying that while it's not nice when a magpie takes young birds, at least they're only the young ones, and the adults are left to raise another brood (hopefully learning from the experience and building the next nest in a better site). When other predators like cats and dogs strike, they take adult birds, which means no more broods of young.
I don't think you can pin the blame for songbird decline on one particular thing. It's a combination of loss of habitat, loss of suitable nest sites, lack of food sources and maybe also increased predator numbers in certain areas.
A closed mouth gathers no foot.
Yes Maisie think it is the same old thing O K as long as it is not our nestlings getting slaughtered,perhaps people who defend Magpies would not defend rats,it would be interesting to know because almost everyone sees something that they see as a pest,in fact do not think I have ever met anyone who didn't see some animal,bird,insect or some other creature as a pest but probably I live in a more violent population than many.However feel sure if I control a few Magpies I would do much less damage than someone who lets their cat or dog roam around killing and disturbing all sorts of birds and animals.
hey! Look on the bright side...9 magpies...
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