Author: Admin Team

Sadly we continue to see disturbing reports from across the UK of Raptors being deliberately killed.

These three recent incidents highlight the continued illegal persecution of raptors in the UK, despite their protected status under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

1. Golden Eagle “Merrick”:
   • Merrick, a satellite-tagged golden eagle from the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project, disappeared in the Borders in October.
   • Investigations revealed she was probably shot and killed, with evidence including blood, feathers, and her non-transmitting satellite tag.
   • The police, collaborating with land managers and raptor workers, confirmed human interference led to her death.
   • Conservation and land management groups have condemned the incident and reaffirmed their commitment to protecting raptors.
2. Buzzard in North York Moors:
   • A buzzard was shot and killed in April near Laskill, Bilsdale.
   • The incident follows the illegal killing of a sparrowhawk and other raptors in North Yorkshire over the past year.
   • North Yorkshire Police are seeking public assistance to identify suspects.
3. Goshawk in Forest of Dean:
   • A goshawk was found dead with an air rifle pellet in its hip in February near Kempley.
   • Gloucestershire Police are investigating and have appealed for public information.

Are there Legislative and Enforcement Gaps?

• The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 criminalizes the intentional harm or killing of raptors, but enforcement and prosecution rates remain low.
• The persistence of these incidents underscores the need for enhanced surveillance, stronger deterrents, and increased resources for rural crime units.
• Public awareness and involvement are critical to improving detection and reporting of such crimes.

Conservation Efforts and Future Actions

• Conservation projects and land management organizations continue to support the protection and recovery of raptor populations.
• There is a call for stronger collaboration between authorities, conservationists, and the public to prevent future raptor persecution and ensure effective enforcement of existing laws.

The market for bird control services is expanding both in the UK and internationally. A key component of bird control is the non-lethal use of birds of prey to deter pest species such as pigeons, gulls, and other nuisance birds. The demand for skilled technicians in this specialized area is increasing, with major firms actively seeking new talent.

There are also excellent opportunities for new entrants to start their own businesses focusing on bird control or incorporating it as part of a broader range of bird of prey services.

While bird control is regulated by wildlife licenses and governed by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Animal Welfare Act 2006, no specific personal licenses are required to work in the industry. This differs from other bird of prey professions, which often require licensing or affiliation with professional bodies.

Unfortunately, the use of birds of prey for bird control has suffered from poor outcomes and value for money when inexperienced or unqualified individuals enter the market without proper training.

To address this issue, Raptor Awards, in collaboration with a panel of leading professionals from the bird control sector, offers two courses based on a nationally agreed curriculum.

Bird control professionals, particularly those new to the field, can demonstrate their knowledge and commitment by completing either the ‘Operative Award’ (for those working under the supervision of a larger firm) or the ‘Professional Award’ (designed for those looking to run their own business or supervise others).

For more information on working with birds of prey in the bird control sector, please visit our website [link to course information].

In February last year, the world lost a pioneering wildlife conservationist with the passing of Dr. Peter Munday, formerly of the Zimbabwe National Parks Service.

A short tribute to Peter can be read here: #link to article

To honour his significant contributions to our understanding of African vultures, we will publish a review of his work and findings in this area next quarter.

In the introduction to his article ‘The Vultures of Africa, Peter writes:

“Very much has been written about vultures over the years, as they are such conspicuous
and (sometimes) awe-inspiring birds. They are also widely distributed on three continents
in the Old World and on two in the New World, and a few species have even adopted
quite an intimate relationship with humans. Whereas a detailed review of vultures in
Africa has been published (Mundy et al 1992), such is unfortunately not yet comprehensively available for Asia or Europe, or for North and South America (but see Kiff 2000, Satheesan, 2000, Schlee 2000). One could note in passing that it is now frequently accepted that the vultures of the Old World and those of the New World are not closely related. The former can be thought of as scavenging eagles (Accipitridae family in the Falconiformes) whereas the latter are perhaps scavenging storks (Cathartidae family in the Ciconiiformes?). Both groups have certain characteristics in common – for example a hooked bill, naked or downy head, food-holding crop – such that they illustrate very well the phenomenon of “convergent” evolution (Houston 2001). In addition, within the Old World vultures,

Commonly regarded as comprising 15 species, there are at least three different evolutionary lines (polyphyletic) (Seibold & Helbig 1995). Finally, it should be emphasised that within this group of birds there is a smaller group of five species of ‘super’-vultures, all of which should colloquially be called griffons. They exhibit a whole set of adaptations to a life scavenging on the carcasses of large (migratory) animals (Houston 1983).
My purposes in this article are to bring together facts about vultures that are relevant
to the bird-strike problem on aeroplanes, and to explore the vulturine connections in
the Old World among the three continents of Africa, Asia and Europe”

In the fourth quarter of this year, we will highlight the contributions of several pioneers in the field and provide links to academic articles for those interested in delving deeper into the study of these fascinating raptors.

IRBPP subscribers will earn CPD hours, and their achievements will be recorded in their personal CPD logs, maintained by the IRBPP.

Not yet a subscriber? #Learn more