Wigan conservationist speaks about birds of prey killings

The statistics showed there were two shootings of birds of prey recorded in the RSPB Investigations Unit’s figures in Greater Manchester in recent times, with one in 2018 and in one in 2019.

That followed a period of several years with no bird of prey deaths collected by the unit locally, with the last confirmed incidents prior to those being the three recorded in 2013.

Mark Champion, the Lancashire Wildlife Trust (LWT) Wigan projects manager, said the deaths of beautiful raptors such as peregrine falcons, kestrels and sparrowhawks was to be greatly regretted but stressed it was not a major issue in the borough.

Although neither of the latest two incidents took place in Wigan, with one occurring in Bury and the other in Saddleworth, Mr Champion said wildlife organisations across the entire city-region still had the problem on their radar and welcomed opportunities to speak publicly about it.

He said: “Officially I would have to say that I am concerned about birds of prey being killed. That would be my professional position.

“However, statistically one bird being shot every couple of years is part of life.

“You are looking here at idiots with air rifles, and we are aware that there are occasionally shooting incidents with them. We record them whatever the species are, whether it’s a raptor or a blackbird.

“When you look at the number of people who live in this borough between them there will be the odd person who will do this.

“We are always keen to keep this issue in the spotlight, but of all the conservation issues we face in Wigan this is not one I particularly lose sleep over.”

The two Greater Manchester incidents in the last couple of years involved a peregrine falcon being killed last year and a red kite, a spectacular bird rarely seen in this area, being shot the year before.

Nationally there have been more than 1,300 incidents recorded by the RSPB Investigation Unit since 2007, despite all of Britain’s birds of prey being protected by law.

There were 85 cases recorded last year across the UK.

Nationally the biggest problem is in North Yorkshire, where a massive 147 incidents of raptor killings have been recorded since 2007, followed by the Highlands in Scotland where there have been 71.

With just five incidents Greater Manchester has some of the smallest figures of any county in the country.

Shooting is the most common fate birds of prey meet, accounting for 40 per cent of the incidents logged by the RSPB since 2007.

Despite the shocking figures the RSPB says the data only covers incidents which are confirmed and backed up by evidence. It fears many more killings of birds of prey go unreported, particularly in remote rural areas.