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.

Continued

Concern surrounds the shooting of thirty birds in Tudeley

By Paddock Wood Courier | Posted: August 04, 2014

By Amy-Clare Martin

MYSTERY surrounds the death of thirty wood pigeons at a Royal Society for the Protection of Birds reserve in Tudeley.

The dead birds were discovered by a dog walker in Tudeley Woods, near Half Moon Lane, on Sunday afternoon. The birds had been shot and were dumped in two large piles on the floor.

The RSPB reserve is home to a number of star species including the woodlark, the nightjar and the tree pipit.

Although wood pigeons are not endangered, questions are being raised about why the birds were shot in such numbers and just discarded on the floor.

Sue Royal, a spokesman for the RSPB, said: “Obviously it is a concern that large numbers of birds have been shot, but it is a mystery to be honest as neither we nor the landowner know anything about it.

“About 30 of them were left near a footpath. We don’t know who has left them there or why the birds were killed.”

The police have been informed.

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