The RSPB has said it is “Stunned” after it was revealed that Defra plans to allow the capture of buzzards and destruction of their nests in a bid to remove the birds from shooting estates. The organisation has launched a mass protest against the decision, which has gained the support of Guardian Environment journalist and author George Monbiot who has accused Defra of class warfare over the decision.

The scheme, which was introduced following lobbying by the pheasant shooting industry, has been summarily criticised by conservationists. An RSPB spokesperson said yesterday, “This intervention against one of England’s best-loved birds of prey will set a terrible precedent and prove to be a costly and unnecessary exercise.”

Buzzards usually scavenge on animals which have already died, but they will sometimes take young pheasants which are released for sports shooting. The raptors were eradicated from large swathes of Britain following decades of persecution, however, legal protection and improving attitudes towards buzzards and other birds of prey led to their recovery, hailed has one of Britain’s major conservation success stories.

Martin Harper, conservation director of the RSPB, offered scathing criticism of the Defra proposal. He said, “We are shocked by Defra’s plans to destroy buzzard nests and to take buzzards into captivity to protect a non-native game bird released in its millions. Buzzards play a minor role in pheasant losses, compared with other factors like collisions with vehicles.”

“There are options for addressing the relatively small number of pheasant poults lost to buzzards. Destroying nests is completely unjustified and catching and removing buzzards is unlikely to reduce predation levels, as another buzzard will quickly take its place. Both techniques would be illegal under current wildlife laws, and I think most people will agree with us that reaching for primitive measures, such as imprisoning buzzards or destroying their nests, when wildlife and economic interests collide is totally unacceptable.”

He concluded, “At a time when funding for vital conservation work is so tight, and with another bird of prey, the hen harrier, facing extinction as a breeding bird in England, I can think of better ways of spending £400,000 of public funds. This money could work harder for wildlife, and I hope the Government will therefore put a stop to this project.”

The RSPB has encouraged its followers to contact their MP and request they raise the issue with Defra minister for wildlife and biodiversity, Richard Benyon.Critics say pheasants are having a massive impact on the UK’s biodiversity. 40 million of the birds are released every year for game shooting in the UK and George Monbiot has suggested their effect has not been properly quantified.  

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