I hate magpies!

[Toddy]

Mod Hat on folks.

This is obviously an emotive subject, and in view of the graphic nature of the image of wounds on the sheep, the thread has been removed into Fair Game (at least there folks know there might be something of that nature while the other forums are safe to open in schools, public places, etc.,)

We 'all' have opinions about magpies, shooting, conservation, etc., but please, think before you post; icy politeness is every bit as effective in getting an opinion across as threats and anger.

Thank you for showing restraint It's appreciated.
Toddy

 

[daveO]

If there was no danger from the corvids.... would the sheep charge them?

No idea. Out of lambing season they don't seem so bothered. The magpies even ride around on the sheeps' backs somethimes. My point is though that the flock look after their lambs.

Just for the record I'm not against control of corvids or any other pest if you have sufficient reason.

 

[BearInTheWoods]

Corvids are predators. That's what they do.

So are we. It's what we do.

 

[Elen Sentier]

So are we. It's what we do.

Too right! And we're far nastier than magpies.

behind every creative woman there's usually a very talented cat ...

 

[Mouse040]

I live by the rule if I kill it I eat it no exception !

Saying that magpies are the easiest thing in the world to trap with a decoy and a cage trap they are so territorial that they literally trap themselves traps are available on eBay cheep just remember to stop before there's none left you might not like them but they are part of the ecosystem failing that and if you want a treat contact your local falconers club

 

[spandit]

I find red squirrels a much more challenging target, so small and nimble. Great crested newts don't like being launched from a badminton racquet either...

 

[jimbo75]

I find red squirrels a much more challenging target, so small and nimble. Great crested newts don't like being launched from a badminton racquet either...

That sounds like more fun!

 

[johnnytheboy]

We used to have an organised corvid control day on one of the bits of ground we shot pheasants over to allow the nesting birds a chance not to have their nest raided. There was another in an area where wading birds nests were being raided to the point of total destruction.

Craft old toerags the Crows and Magpies but we always shot quite a few!

 

[Gray]

Jimbo, i understand what your saying, i know where your coming from. At the end of the day though its natures way. For all we know there may be another being/species, whatever, looking down at us thinking the same. We kill for food, so do maggies so do god knows how many other animals/insects/species or whatever. Like it or not mate, its the way of the world. As said, I understand where your coming from and i think theyre barbaric orrible things and i too in my time have shot just about everything thats either walked, run or crawled at some point in its life......but not anymore. Its nature.

 

[British Red]

I guess those who disapprove of killing things don't swat flies, or use disinfectant or kill rats and mice in their house. All humans kill, just because you like corvids more than bluebottles, or buzzards more than pheasants, doesn't provide any moral high ground.

Corvids are legal quarry under the general licence of the WCA within the terms contained in the act. No other reason is required to control them beyond meeting the legal framework. They are not endangered and they are included on the schedule because they are both vermin and not endangered. If people like them - that's fine, don't hunt them. If others do, in accordance with the law, that is their business.

 

[mountainm]

I guess those who disapprove of killing things don't swat flies, or use disinfectant or kill rats and mice in their house. All humans kill, just because you like corvids more than bluebottles, or buzzards more than pheasants, doesn't provide any moral high ground.

Corvids are legal quarry under the general licence of the WCA within the terms contained in the act. No other reason is required to control them beyond meeting the legal framework. They are not endangered and they are included on the schedule because they are both vermin and not endangered. If people like them - that's fine, don't hunt them. If others do, in accordance with the law, that is their business.

It's the motivation I question, not the act. Killing something purely from dislike is akin to stamping on a spider, or belting an adder with a shovel.

Just plain wrong.

Good reason is fine.

 

[British Red]

You'd be surprised though how many people swat flies because the buzzing annoys them, or wasps even though they bring sugary liquids in the wasps territories.

 

[mountainm]

You'd be surprised though how many people swat flies because the buzzing annoys them, or wasps even though they bring sugary liquids in the wasps territories.

Wasps and flies both present clear risks, the former a health risk the latter one of being stung.

 

[Bushwhacker]

I guess those who disapprove of killing things don't swat flies, or use disinfectant or kill rats and mice in their house. All humans kill, just because you like corvids more than bluebottles, or buzzards more than pheasants, doesn't provide any moral high ground.

I agree and would normally use the same reasoning, but I've learnt now that you're always going to get an internet white knight who will say they don't.

 

[demographic]

Six pages about Magpies killing songbirds and not one single mention of household cats...

Oops, too late.

 

[mountainm]

Six pages about Magpies killing songbirds and not one single mention of household cats...

Oops, too late.

Do you think we could teach magpies to attack cats? Job done.

 

[British Red]

Wasps and flies both present clear risks, the former a health risk the latter one of being stung.

Many flies are not health risks. Cluster flies for example. Granted on occasion 20,000 or more will invade a house in a given autumnal day, but they pose no health risk unless you are an earthworm.

Should people not learn to distinguish between flies so that they only kill those that are a health risk?

Reducto ad absurdum - but of course everybody kills. As was mentioned earlier, if their kids have head lice or worms. Now neither is likely to kill you - but we kill them anyway. We kill every time we wash our hands.

Most objections to killing seem to revolve around "I like creature X so others should not kill it, however its okay if I kill creature Y". It may be emotionally satisfying, but it isn't logical.

 

[JonathanD]

I work closely with RSBP and other ornithological bods. General consensus is that the magpie population is out of control. Closely followed by gulls.

Nature works in balance. We unbalanced it. It no longer works.

 

[demographic]

Do you think we could teach magpies to attack cats? Job done.

Got to be simpler than training cats to do kill magpies or train them to do pretty much anything else for that matter.

 

[boatman]

Magpies are only a qualified legal quarry, you must believe that your reason for killing them is valid under the terms of the licence. Killing them because they might kill songbirds in the area around your garden would probably not be a valid reason nor is killing them because you hate them.

Of course there is the self-righteous opinion that because I can kill something I will regardless of evidence. With this view no argument will work.