Buzzards at Risk

Landowners demand the right to kill birds of prey as the numbers grow out of control, this is the controversial suggestion made by the moorlands director of the Scottish Countryside Alliance who thinks numbers of some raptors, especially buzzards and goshawks, are becoming unmanageable. He is worried that wading moorland birds and red squirrels are at risk, however the suggestion has been met with fierce criticism from RSPB. Duncan Orr-Ewing, head of species and land management said it has taken 200 years for the buzzard population to recover from persecution during the Victorian period. He also added that evidence shows that the main prey eaten by buzzards is rabbits, not vulnerable species. We can be grateful that many hurdles have to be crossed before a licence to cull is granted, under current laws, scrupulous evidence spanning five years is required before a licence would be considered. Landowners have applied to Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Government in the past for licences to control buzzards to protect pheasants and other species but to my delight none has ever been granted. Information about raptor poisonings and other incidents of wildlife crime can be passed to National Wildlife Crime Unit in North Berwick on 01620-893607