Woodpigeons and crows can no longer be freely killed in England

Natural England scraps general licence to kill ‘pest’ birds after launch of legal challenge

Patrick Barkham

Wed 24 Apr 2019 12.05 BSTLast modified on Thu 25 Apr 2019 01.00 BST

 “Pest” bird species such as crows, woodpigeons and jays can no longer be freely killed in England after the government’s conservation watchdog revoked the licence permitting it.

The move by Natural England came after a challenge to the legality of the “general licence” by a new environmental group, Wild Justice, created by conservationists Mark Avery, Ruth Tingay and Chris Packham.

Natural England now plans to introduce a legal system of licences to allow 16 species of birds, including rooks, magpies, Canada geese and non-native parakeets, to be controlled. In the meantime, anyone wanting to control these species must apply for an individual licence, as they are required to if seeking to kill other more protected bird species.

Wildlife campaigners have greeted the decision, which came on Tony Juniper’s first day as the new chair, with delight, but many farmers – and some conservationists – were dismayed.

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Siberian jays can recognize unfamiliar, distant relatives

Date: October 26, 2015

Source: University of Zurich

Can animals recognize distantly related, unfamiliar individuals of the same species? Siberian jays possess this ability as evolutionary biologists recently could demonstrate for the first time. This bird species belongs to the crow family and is able to accurately assess the degree of kinship to unfamiliar individuals. This ability provides advantages when sharing food and other forms of cooperation.

In few mammal, birds and fish species, individuals can recognize unfamiliar siblings. Until now, however, it remained unclear whether animals also are able to identify more distant, unfamiliar relatives. Evolutionary biologists from the University of Zurich recently demonstrated that Siberian jays, a member of the crow family, evolved this ability.

Kinship is a critical factor favoring cooperation between individuals. The reason behind this pattern is that helping closely related individuals aids propagating own genes. Consequently, most insects, meerkats or birds that breed cooperatively, i.e., individuals help to raise offspring that are not their own, live in family groups. The Siberian jay, which occurs in Northern Scandinavia and the Siberian taiga, lives in family groups that share a territory. 

Non-breeding birds are both offspring that remain with their parents for several year beyond independency and individuals that immigrate into groups early in their lives.

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Jays hit by acorn crop shortage

A poor acorn crop this year could be pushing jays into gardens in search of food, experts have said.

Jays, the most colourful member of the crow family, have been more visible than normal around the UK as they widen their search for food in the face of a poor autumn for acorns, the RSPB said.

Jays from Scandinavia and other parts of Europe could also be arriving in the country to join the UK population of the shy woodland bird, indicating that food sources may be scarce elsewhere, the wildlife charity said.

RSPB wildlife adviser Ben Andrew said: "With a blush pink body and flash of blue on the wings, jays are really attractive birds and it's hard to believe they are close relatives of crows, ravens, rooks and jackdaws, which are all black.

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