Birds of Prey in Britain

[Falcon]

After a costly and slow reintroduction, numbers of birds of prey in the UK are slowly rising. This is great news. But apparently, farmers want to cull them because they pose a danger to livestock, and a group called Songbird Survival think they should be eradicated so that the little sparrows can survive.  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12634698

Surely biodiversity - including raptors - is the only way for an ecosystem to be stable and diverse and healthy?

Why is it that as soon as we get some good environmental news, people want to trample all over it? It makes me so mad!  And as you can tell from my picture and name, I'm on the raptors' side! Go eagles!!

[Iain]

I've been watching one this morning over the Thames, couldn't tell what it was but it was bigger than a kestrel

 


possibly a peregrine falcon??

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4122098.stm

[houmax]

Reminds me of all the critics when they reintroduced wolves to Yellowstone. From what I've heard/read it's caused a great improvement in biodiversity and helped cull the overpopulated elk herds...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_reintroduction_in_Yellowstone#In_Idaho_.2F_Yellowstone_National_Park

[Alex Good]

 I hate it when people poison bait. It's cheating.