Pigeon fanciers under suspicion after peregrines attacks

Jul 2 2009 The Journal

In Walsall, a racing pigeon was found with a pill capsule taped to its leg. A tip-off that some pigeon fanciers were targeting peregrines led to the capsule being sent for tests, which revealed it contained the banned pesticide Aldicarb.

A dead peregrine was found peppered with shot in the Forest of Dean. An x-ray revealed the bird, a seven-year-old female, had been blasted at close range.

A peregrine crash landed in a back garden near Litchfield in Staffordshire with its leg caught in a spring trap. It later died of its injuries. A search of nearby quarries by RSPB officers found three more traps on a ledge used by peregrines.

All five chicks were stolen from a peregrine nest site near Mansfield within a week of them hatching.

Mark Thomas, RSPB investigations officer, said: “It has been one of the worst years I can remember. In the last few weeks, barely a day has gone by without a call about peregrine persecution.

“We have had reports of attempts to target peregrines with poisoned baits and lethal traps and now we have this bird confirmed shot. These crimes are cruel, needless and selfish. That they happen at all in the 21st Century is a disgrace. Peregrines have taken 30 years to recover from the devastating effects of pesticide poisoning and still we find them targeted by people who hold a grudge against them.”