www.telegraph.co.uk 16th September 2010
Following the second worst year for crimes against birds since records began, the RSPB have suggested that landowners should be punished if the acts occur on their estates. This would mean that the landowner would be responsible for the actions of an unscrupulous game keeper, for example. The statement came in response to last years 384 incidents of bird crime including poisoning, egg-stealing, and disruption of nests. The primary targets tended to be endangered species such as eagles, kites, hen harriers and buzzards, which tend to be considered as pests by owners and runners of grouse moors and shooting estates. For the first time, the worst offending counties have been named and shamed: North Yorkshire, West Mercia, Northumbria, Devon & Cornwall and Cumbria. All have high numbers of shooting estates. Although the local police forces have been attempting to tackle the problem for the past 20 years, death rates have not reduced. Only 2007 had more incidents than last year with 389 cases.
