Hawks in danger of extinction in illegal hunting campaign

[xchrom]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/jan/05/hawks-extinction-illegal-hunting


A male hen harrier. Photograph: Alamy


Only one pair of breeding hen harriers remains in England, according to the RSPB, which blames illegal persecution for what it fears is now the near exinction of the bird of prey in the country.

"It will be a tragedy if this bird disappears. It's a scandal that such a rare and iconic species has been deliberately persecuted to this extent," said Grahame Madge of the bird conservation charity. He said Yorkshire was now a "black spot" for British birds of prey, dozens of which were being targeted by gamekeepers on the area's vast shooting estates, who were under pressure to keep grouse and pheasant numbers high for their clients.

"It's like a return to the days of the Victorians up there; the landowners think they are a law unto themselves and the gamekeepers have to do what they're told or they'll be out of a job," he said. "And it isn't just hen harriers: our team of investigators are constantly uncovering evidence of other birds of prey being illegally shot, poisoned and trapped."

[samsingh]

1. sad - kick

[brewens]

2. That's a shame. I live near The Palouse country of Washington state. It's really

spectacular, the number of hawks and even owls you see driving up there. Big red tailed hawks, all over the place. They aren't hunting game birds, it's rodents they are after.

In the fall when the fields are harvested and cut down really low, you see the red tails just sitting out there in the fields. They don't have to fly to spot prey. Some days you can see one about every mile not too far from the road. Just waiting for a mouse to show itself, take off and swoop in for the kill.

Driving up there at night, it's not unusual to get a glimpse of an owl flying near the road. I've actually hit two of them in six years. My job has me driving up there several times a week. Both of those owls were out in bad weather. Bad luck.

[LWolf]

3. I've had young hawks and falcons take young chickens.

It's been a few years since I had any pullets or cockerels to make good targets; while birds will take an adult, the youngsters usually prefer the smaller, younger birds.

One year I had a peregrine falcon so determined that it perched on the 4-foot fence outside the coop. I called all the birds into the small yard with the wire-protected roof and chased off the hawk, who moved 10 feet away to a tree and stayed. So I made an afternoon of it, out on the picnic bench under that tree, with a book and some tea and my binocs, watching the falcon.

I've often seen hawks of several varieties perching on the fence the water trough sits next to, waiting for somebody to get a drink. Not together; just at different times.

Early one morning a couple of years ago, a young pullet decided to get up too early; she was out at 4:30 when I was heading to the barn to feed. She saw me and headed my way, obviously wanting into the barn. When she was about a yard a way, an owl dropped silently out of the tree we were passing and carried her away.

I don't begrudge the birds of prey the birds. I wish they'd get more rodents than they do. The idea of deliberately killing them sickens me.

[sulphurdunn]

4. Is this the same class

of feudal troglodytes that introduced foxes and rabbits to Australia?

[Nihil]

6. Different class, same attitude. (n/t)

[Deep13]

5. WTF?!