Scottish Gamekeepers Association

Official figures state, based on 1991 figures that there are nearly 1300 breeding pairs of peregrines in the UK and at least 2000 immatures. As peregrines produce 1-4 young per year per pair, (on average 2 young per pair) this is a possible 2600 young peregrines fledged per year. With the various raptor groups reporting no significant increase this means that the RSPB etc are saying that a possible 2600 peregrines die per year.

The total of sparrowhawks is quoted as 34,000 pairs in the UK with another possible 68,000 young fledged. Still there is no significant increase admitted to and in fact the various groups are now claiming a decline. The implication here is that the 68,000 born all die.

Taking just these two species of raptors pro raptor groups such as the RSPB are claiming a yearly loss of a possible 70,600 raptors. Where are they? How many are handed in to or reported to the police? (The RSPB and police are campaigning to have the deaths of raptors reported to them.) Taking into account that according to raptor reports, including the latest DETR Raptor Working Group report, raptor numbers are not “soaring” and some are declining, where are the carcasses of these dead birds? We believe the birds are out there not being counted, because no one can count immatures and many nests are not found.

The RSPB maintain that raptor persecution is affecting the population increase of raptors. Yet the accepted figures on raptor numbers over the last 20 years have shown a marked increase in most species, and gamekeepers’ experience leads them to believe that these figures are below the actual numbers. RSPB figures for Scottish species between 1970 and 1998 show an increase of 162% in Sparrowhawks and 224% in buzzards. As raptor numbers are actually increasing, even by their own figures, it has to call into doubt the RSPB’s statement that the raptors found dead are “only the tip of the iceberg.” The reality of the figures proves the fallacy of their dramatic, headline grabbing statements.

Reports from gamekeepers across the country as well as others suggest that raptor numbers as claimed by the RSPB and raptor groups are grossly underestimated and well under the actual numbers in the countryside. When quoting any raptor population it is only the known nesting pairs that are quoted. There is no hint of single or immatures in the numbers mentioned as numbers are always quoted in known nesting pairs. This gives a false impression of possible raptor predation. It is worth noting that raptors do not die just because they do not have a mate.

The RSPB continually report that bad farming practices are responsible for small bird declines and undoubtedly some of the practices farmers were encouraged to introduce damaged the native flora and fauna. But that is not the entire story. Pesticides are not used on moorland and very few moors are overgrazed by sheep. Also, here we have some quotes from the Historical Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland 1875 - 1900 by Simon Holloway (1996) (these same people are quoted by the RSPB in their references), which give a different angle on the situation:

“Tree sparrow populations increased when sparrowhawk numbers were decreasing in 1946 - 65 and decreased during the sparrowhawk recovery in 1966 - 92 (Smith Summers in litt)”

“House sparrow: Tawny owls, sparrowhawks, and domestic cats are all significant predators of the house sparrow and their increase in suburban areas may be sufficient to reduce the house sparrow populations in these habitats (Gibbon et al 1993)”

“Bullfinch: (Newton 1967) suggested that lower numbers of sparrowhawks were allowing the bullfinch to feed further from cover making much more food available. The bullfinches’ increase of the 50s and 60s has reversed and the population is in decline perhaps associated with the recovery of the sparrowhawk. (Newton 1993)”

Another quote from Newton (93/94) in the Hawk and Owl Trust Report (1999) states that most raptors are considered close to the maximum densities that their habitat can support.

It is worth noting that the RSPB lay great store in the findings of Newton et al. when quoting figures that help to promote their cause, but fail to mention some of these other findings.

It seems logical to suggest that if sparrow hawks could effect the numbers of common birds like the sparrow and bullfinch they must be having a direct effect on less numerous species such as the skylark, bunting and thrush.

The RSPB in its haste to blame farmers for songbird decline omits to tell us that species such as the redpoll “fluctuate markedly in abundance both from year to year and as the present study reveals, in a longer term cycle, over periods of decades.” (I Newton in Litt) or that other species such as flycatchers, whitethroats, sedge warblers and sand martins suffered large losses of numbers due to rain failure in the Sahel region of West Africa used in passage from wintering grounds in Southern Africa. Further information in this book gives indications that large fluctuations have occurred because of climatic changes at home and abroad for many other species. The RSPB fail to explain this to the public. Instead they choose to scaremonger by blaming all bird declines on farming practices, ignoring varying reasons for songbird declines.

Although some of the above would appear to have little to do with game keeping it hopefully illustrates how selective the RSPB are in providing information on bird numbers.

Peregrine falcons are becoming a major threat on some grouse moors. These birds during the winter and spring months will kill at least one grouse every two days. As this is the only prey available until the return of the waders and even when the waders return grouse will continue to be killed. Every loss of an adult breeding grouse is a loss of a potential brood and hence to the potential surplus required to promote a good shooting season. Birds killed in the winter are the breeding stock for the next year. These losses can affect as much as 40% of the breeding stock.

Sparrowhawks attack partridge all year round, keeping stocks low. (The wild grey partridge is an endangered species.) During the release of pheasant poults the sparrowhawk is particularly troublesome, killing every day and terrorising the poults, which then do not feed. This adds more stress and usually leads to stress related diseases, which can be fatal.

Golden Plover

Goshawks are a particularly aggressive raptor that even attacks other raptors, and is also reported to be killing squirrels. In areas where red squirrels (an endangered species) have their last stronghold this bird is a threat to their survival. Goshawks kill adult game birds as well as poults, and also kill grouse. After a visit from a goshawk at a release pen the escapee poults are reluctant to stay in the area. This leads to starvation and predation by other species of predators in the thick summer vegetation.

The buzzard is now the main predator of pheasants and partridge. No up to date numbers are given for the buzzard population but we estimate that there is one pair of buzzards for every 100 acres of woodland in Scotland. This makes it the most numerous raptor in Scotland. This raptor is so numerous that it can be seen in groups of 6 - 10 birds. Yet the RSPB etc.(based on 1991 figures) have placed the number at only 17,000 in the whole of the UK and continually imply that this bird is rare and endangered. Buzzards according to the RSPB are carrion eaters and seldom kill their prey. This unfortunately is not the case. Buzzards regularly kill adult pheasants and partridge and those that live in the woods fringing heather moors will take grouse should the opportunity occur. The main prey of buzzards during the nesting period is ground nesting bird chicks and young rabbits. They also take young songbirds. They also find the released pheasant and partridge poults easy prey. Once the raptor has locked on to an area where it can predate pheasant or partridge chicks it will continue to visit. Not only will the killing do damage to the stock but the stress factor will be increased resulting from food deprivation caused by straying.

It is estimated that out of 1,000 lowland shoots each shoot is losing an average 150 poults to direct raptor predation in and around release pens. At £20 per bird that is a possible loss of revenue of £3,000,000 income to shooting estates across Scotland. This would eventually be ploughed back into the local communities. The direct damage done to grouse stocks can only be guessed, but a similar figure of £3,000,000 must be a close estimate. It is unlikely that this scale of financial burden is carried by any other Scottish industry without recourse to compensation. Gameshooting is not subsidised in any way and must make its own money to sustain habitat. Therefore it is important that budgets are met. These budgets are becoming increasingly difficult to meet with raptor predation on the increase.

With raptor populations in excess of 100,000 and rising in Scotland alone, raptor predation on all prey species can only get worse. A solution to this problem must be found now.