Magpie with synthetic caught in foot.
- Thread starter John Gryphon
- Start date
Dan Newcombe
Well-Known Member
That happens quite a bit here with ringed birds like lapwings getting tangled in sheep’s wool that’s shed in the fields
John Gryphon
Well-Known Member
You will do jail time if you shoot one here.You can easily take it off after it's been shot
One of the few things that you cant shoot?
Really? Bloody things are a disease here. Along with jays. Bonny to look at, but devastating to songbirds
John Gryphon
Well-Known Member
One of our most revered birds,true.
Dunwaters
Well-Known Member
Is there any documented difference in Welsh bird populations since the magpie ban was introduced?
If maggers have an appreciable effect on song bird populations it should be discernible by now and there should be measurable population difference between Wales and across the border in England.
I’m genuinely curious, I personally tend to leave them alone unless I have something specific to protect. They get a few backyard nests every year, but overall I don’t see any difference.
I think the issue is that the wild bird population figures are not well understood or documented and on this basis its difficult to draw a conclusion. We feed the smaller birds over winter and still have plenty of visitors, though some species such as long tailed tits which we often used to see are rare visitors these days.
We are lucky to have a few pairs of Curlews that nest near us, so carrion crows and foxes are high on my priority list.
Magpie numbers have exploded since they were (wrongly IMO) afforded protection. Some farms I see 25 or 30 in groups.
I suppose its the same argument over the decline in hedgehogs and ground nesting birds with badgers being protected...farming practices change and also have an impact so often there are a lot of variables.
Can’t say about birds because I’ve always had loads around me,Feathered ones I should add.But hedgehogs since the badger cull I’ve seen and had loads in the garden.
Hedgehogs are brilliant little creatures..though they dont show gratitude. I stopped on my lane to move one as it had decided to keep walking in front of the truck. Picked it up and put it the bottom side of the truck and it thanked me by ****ing all over my hands...bloody charming 
Actually, almost all native fauna is strictly off limits. There are a few exceptions, but even those are mostly under fairly strict permit conditions. Circumstances vary a bit between states too.
Introduced species (ferals/vermin) is a different story. We have plenty of those and most are open season, but even some of them have conditions and restrictions, which too can vary from state to state.
Our magpies are a totally different species to the UK variety, but their behaviour towards eggs and chicks is the same. They are also fiercely aggressive towards people during mating season, often causing injury, but as JG says, they are practically revered. So, not only could you do time for shooting one, you would probably want to request isolation.
Wonder why that should be? What makes them that special to people? (Genuine question)
John Gryphon
Well-Known Member
Top left of screen....a million people (est) follow "the Pies" besides that they are a beautiful songbird,a joy to have in your garden and chase raptors away also. Great mimics too.
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A really good question too, but I really cannot explain it. One of those imponderables. Certainly the song and mimicry are a big part of the attraction. They are also not backward in coming forward, so pretty hard to miss. Maybe because they are pretty much everywhere - city and country - so every creed, colour and class has exposure. Something everyone can relate to.
They sound similar to ours in behaviour. They've long been known as nest predators and egg thieves, along with jays. They're a raucous, noisy bird too. They used to be on the General License to shoot, but the powers that be allowed themselves to be bullied into changing the licensing system to allow them to be shot only under certain conditions. Wales has actually banned the shooting of them altogether. Utterly senseless in my opinion, and illustrative of the influence an uneducated mob can have when whipped into a frenzy by the likes of Wild Justice. Ally that to a government weak and spineless enough to care only about securing voter support, and you can imagine the damage caused to rural areas by those who understand them the least. Makes me so angry I could spit
Absolutely no different here. I spit often.
My American friends suffer in the same way
