Endangered British birds to be killed under permits – here’s how that could fuel an illegal pan-European trade

January 25, 2019 1.10pm GMT Updated February 4, 2019 12.09pm GMT

Teresa Lappe-Osthege

Doctoral Researcher in Environmental Security, University of Sheffield

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This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No 694995).

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License holders will be allowed to kill some of Britain’s most endangered bird species under temporary permits licensed by Natural England and Natural Resources Wales. The monitoring and enforcement of these permits relies on self-reporting and regulation – loopholes which could be exploited to feed the demand for illegal bird products in Europe.

The birds at risk throughout England and Wales include species whose numbers are threatened in the UK, according to the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds). Bullfinches, meadow pipits and oystercatchers are all included in the permits and are amber-listed for intermediate conservation priority. Another species, the skylark, will be subject to licensed killing despite the RSPB red-listing it as a critical conservation priority for the UK.

Both Natural England and Natural Resources Wales are sponsored by central government and are responsible for “promoting nature conservation” and “protecting people and the environment” according to their websites. They cite safety concerns to justify granting the permits and claim killing birds could prevent damage to crops and reduce interference with air traffic.

Although the permits strictly outline the overall number of birds that are allowed to be killed, monitoring and enforcing this will be crucial. By licensing the shooting, trapping, and killing of songbirds in the UK, the government could be offering a route for supplying dead birds to the illicit trade across Europe.

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