Buzzards and pheasants again

Posted on May 31, 2013 by argylesock

A year ago here in England, our Government considered whether to protect farmed pheasants (Phasianus colchicus), an alien species reared for shooting, from native buzzards (Buteo buteo). This would have been done by trapping buzzards and destroying their nests. Really, I’m not joking.

The idea of a legal buzzard persecution was so ridiculous, so offensive and outdated, that it was quickly abandoned. Now it’s back.

This year the targeted buzzards are a few hundred miles away, in Scotland. Allegedly one gamekeeper got permission to destroy four nests built by ‘problem buzzards’. Can this be true? If you know whether it’s true or a hoax, please let me know.

Meanwhile you might choose to sign a petition against buzzard killing.

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About argylesock

I wrote a PhD about veterinary parasitology so that's the starting point for this blog. But I'm now branching out into other areas of biology and into popular science writing. I'll write here about science that happens in landscapes, particularly farmland, and about science involving interspecific interactions. Datasets and statistics get my attention. Exactly where this blog will lead? That's a journey that I'm on and I hope you'll come with me.
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1 Response to Buzzards and pheasants again

  1. Pingback: British buzzards beat Conservatives | Dear Kitty. Some blog

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