Very bad news for buzzards

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle7134049.ece

Landowners are to be given a licence to kill buzzards in a new scheme to protect gamebirds on their estates.

New rules will allow gamekeepers to cull the birds of prey if they have been responsible for killing 10% of gamebirds on their land.

Estates will be obliged to show that they have used humane methods of control — such as installing electronic scaring devices — before a culling licence is issued to protect stocks of grouse, pheasant and partridge. Once a successful application is made, the licence to cull could be issued within three days.

Gamekeepers argue that buzzards kill large numbers of birds every year, threatening the viability of sporting estates. It is estimated that shoots are worth £240m a year to the Scottish economy.

While the precise number of buzzards in Scotland is unknown, the population is thought to have risen since 2003, when there were up to an estimated 25,600 breeding pairs.

The licensing scheme follows talks between the Scottish government and organisations including the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, the Scottish Gamekeepers Association, RSPB Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage.

Provisions exist under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 for gamekeepers to kill buzzards, but a licence to do so has never been issued.

Alex Hogg, chairman of the Scottish Gamekeepers Association, said: “We know this development will be unpopular in many quarters but the growing buzzard predation is creating serious welfare issues.

“The levels of predation we are seeing are undermining shooting businesses and have the potential to have an impact on rural employment. Buzzards are also predating on wild species, some of which are of high conservation status.”

Ministers hope that allowing controlled culls will help to tackle the illegal persecution of birds of prey. The RSPB has warned that the killing of protected species such as golden eagles, buzzards and sparrowhawks is jeopardising population numbers and believes that a “significant minority” of sporting estates in Scotland is responsible.

Official figures show that two golden eagles, four red kites and 19 buzzards were killed illegally in Scotland last year. Earlier this month, police officers launched an investigation after three golden eagles, a buzzard and a sparrowhawk were discovered dead on the 7,500-acre Skibo estate in Sutherland.

A letter to Roseanna Cunningham, the environment minister, signed by 200 landowners, said that they were “utterly dismayed” by poisonings and called for those involved to face the “full weight of the law”.

Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, it is a criminal offence punishable by a six-month term of imprisonment and/or a £5,000 fine to kill or attempt to kill a bird of prey. The same penalties apply for storing or using banned or unlicensed pesticides, such as carbofuran and isofenphos.

A spokesman for RSPB Scotland said that the organisation was opposed to the killing of birds of prey and that ministers had a legal obligation to ensure that licences were issued to landowners only as a “last resort”.

“Many of our bird of prey species are still recovering their populations following the impact of pesticides and widespread killing. We fully expect that the licensing guidance will include important safeguards for birds of prey and will comply fully with Scotland’s laws and our duties to conserve these wild birds,” he said.

The Scottish government said that the new licences would be issued only for the control of small numbers of birds so that “specific local problems” could be addressed.

“The Scottish government is putting together guidance for applications for licences to control predatory birds to protect game birds. This has been done in consultation with land managers, conservationists and scientists,” said a spokesman.

Once quite rare, Common Buzzards are now everywhere. I can see that they may be causing issue in some places.

aw such a shame, there a wonderful bird of prey.

This article reads slightly 'better'....from the P&J

Landowners may be given a licence to control predatory birds such as buzzards in a new scheme to protect game birds on their estates.

It will allow gamekeepers to kill the birds of prey if they have killed 10% of game birds on their land.

Last night, the Scottish Government insisted the move was not new legislation but guidance, “making the process under the law as it stands clear and transparent”.

Estates will be obliged to prove that alternative solutions such as electronic scaring devices would not adequately protect their game birds.

They will also be made to show that licensed control would prevent serious damage to the livestock and that it would not adversely affect the conservation status of predatory birds.

A spokesman said: “It should be noted that this will not involve culls of any sort.

“Licences would only be issued for the control of small numbers of birds to address specific local problems.”

He added that the government has not previously issued control licences for these circumstances.

“In our view, none of the previous applications satisfied all the conditions set out above,” he said.

The guidance is based on the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and has been produced in consultation with land managers, conservationists and scientists.

More than 200 Scottish landowners signed a letter to Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham condemning people who illegally poisoned protected birds.

They called for the “full weight of the law” to be brought to bear on those who illegally killed raptors.

It came after the remains of three golden eagles, a buzzard and a sparrowhawk were found earlier this month on or near the grounds of Skibo Castle, near Dornoch, Sutherland.