Bird crime figures continue to soar in the West Midlands

News from the RSPB site

Reported crimes against birds of prey in the UK reached an all-time high in 2007, increasing by a massive 40 per cent on the previous year. For the West Midlands counties, there was a 42 per cent increase.

Reported crimes against birds of prey in the UK reached an all-time high in 2007, increasing by a massive 40 per cent on the previous year. For the West Midlands counties, there was a 42 per cent increase.

In its annual ‘Birdcrime’ report, the RSPB revealed it had received 262 reports of incidents of illegal shooting, trapping and nest destruction of birds of prey during the course of last year.

This compared with 185 reports in 2006, a figure which prompted the Society to launch a campaign calling for an end to the illegal killing of birds of prey.

There were also 49 reports of birds of prey being poisoned, including 17 red kites - the highest number recorded in a single year - and one half of the only breeding pair of golden eagles in the Scottish Borders.

Data from the report for the West Midlands counties identifies 16 reported birds of prey incidents in Shropshire, 7 in Birmingham and the Black Country, 2 in Staffordshire, 2 in Warwickshire but none in Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

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