Latest news with #BirdsofConservationConcern
STV News
28-05-2025
- General
- STV News
Ravens could be culled in new scheme to protect island livestock
Young ravens in Orkney could be culled under a new licensing scheme to protect livestock on the island. Orkney farmers told NatureScot that the ravens are causing distress and preying on their young calves and lambs. Older breeding pairs are not really a problem, but the Scottish nature agency recognised that 'considerable numbers' of juvenile, non-breeding raven 'can form 'mobs' of up to 100 or more birds'. The birds often prey upon livestock during lambing or calving season. NatureScot is currently developing plans to expand the licensed shooting of young ravens, with the aim of deterring other birds and removing problem birds causing damage. Similar discussions are also taking place on Shetland. Ravens are the biggest member of the crow family, and Scotland holds the majority of the UK population – there is a minimum of 40 breeding pairs across Orkney. The highly intelligent birds are classified in the UK as green under the Birds of Conservation Concern list, but it is still illegal for people to kill them without a license. NatureScot already issues a number of licenses to cull ravens under specific circumstances – including threats to livestock – however, the nature agency has committed to developing a potential Orkney area-based licensing scheme for ravens. The organisation said the new approach would 'better balance effective management of ravens causing damage with essential species conservation'. The organisation has also agreed to look at data and information gathering to better understand the raven census and the impact of juvenile raven populations on Orkney. After speaking to farmers and residents last week, a spokesperson for NatureScot said it had agreed to take steps to better understand the impact young ravens were having on the island and to develop a better licensing scheme. 'We will meet with stakeholders again in August to discuss progress, with similar discussions to take place on Shetland,' a spokesperson for NatureScot said. 'Not everyone affected by these issues was able to attend the meetings, and we will continue to engage with the relevant views and experiences of local people.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Volunteers help endangered bird make stunning return with unexpected planting strategy: 'It is lovely to see the result'
Only a handful of endangered corncrakes return each year to Rathlin Island in Northern Ireland, but volunteers are working hard to increase their number by growing nettles to give them cover, the BBC reported. Corncrakes — mottled, yellow-brown birds with dark streaks on their backs and round bodies — are native to the UK and Ireland, migrating to Africa in the winter. They're known for the male's rattling mating call. Once widespread, their coverage in the UK has been greatly reduced to only part of Scotland and Northern Ireland. They are endangered and classified as Red under the Birds of Conservation Concern 5. The population is so small that the three to five breeding males that have appeared on Rathlin Island over the last five years, and the two to three females per male, are a key population worth protecting. While one species of bird may not seem hugely important to the world, every species we lose is one we can never get back. It's impossible to predict what impact that might have on the broader ecosystem — like when killing wolves in the Yellowstone area damaged its soil, greenery, and surrounding farming ecology, and returning wolves to the area restored it. One barrier to breeding for corncrakes is that they're particularly shy. They need cover to nest in, and Rathlin Island doesn't have enough, which is where volunteer work and nettles come in. The nettle rhizomes are harvested all over Northern Ireland and then pressure-washed to remove any unwanted species that might be tagging along. They're bundled and shipped to Rathlin Island, where volunteers plant them in tilled ground around the edges of a cultivated field. There, they will take root and, thanks to the quick growth rate of this species, form tall and thick cover where the corncrakes can hide when they return from their migration. "Next season there will be nettles growing and hopefully corncrake will choose the place to breed," said Anne Guichard, a Royal Society for the Protection of Birds conservation officer, per the BBC. This ongoing project has already produced breeding grounds for the birds. "It is lovely to see the result and realize how productive nettles are," said Glenise Morgan, a participant from a nettle dig in Ballycastle that helped supply the project, per the BBC. "I look forward to hearing that we have more corncrakes in the area." Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species? Definitely Depends on the animal No way Just let people do it for free Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
South Wales Argus
07-05-2025
- General
- South Wales Argus
Monmouthshire County Hall swift tower cost confirmed
The steel pole is fitted with bird boxes for up to 12 pairs of swifts and speakers to play the 'call of the swift' at key times just after dawn and dusk to attract the birds to use the nesting spaces in the grounds of Monmouthshire County Council's headquarters in Usk. The 'Swift Tower' is also intended to be a 'prominent piece of art' to highlight the 'iconic, declining urban bird, and to inspire individuals to take action to help swifts and other urban nature' and highlight how the council is is supporting nature recovery across the county. The cost of the tower as well as design costs and planning permission was covered by funding from the UK Government's Shared Prosperity Fund which awarded funding for the Gwent Green Grid project in 2024/25. Monmouthshire County Council said the cost for the tower was £18,500 though that figure doesn't include VAT. Councillor Catrin Maby, the council's Labour cabinet member for the environment, said: 'This swift tower is an excellent way to ensure that we continue to see breeding pairs at County Hall for many years to come. 'Hopefully it can prove to be a small step towards the recovery of swift populations in the near future.' Monmouthshire County Council hopes to support further swift project work through Welsh Government Local Places for Nature funding during 2025 to 2027. The tower is in the 'Incredible Edible' community garden area, which is open to the public, within the grounds of Monmouthshire County Council's headquarters at The Rhadyr also known as County Hall. The site has been selected as the best option for Usk, as it will be noticeable to swifts passing as they feed along the river Usk. Swifts had been using J Block at County Hall, before an adjoining walkway was built in 2018. They nest almost exclusively in buildings, making use of holes to raise their young, but are losing nesting sites with old buildings being renovated to improve insulation or demolished. Swifts pair for life, returning to the same nest site each year but have recently been put on the Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern as populations across the UK have declined by 58 per cent since 1995, and 75 per cent in Wales. Monmouthshire County Council's planning department, which had to approve the structure, had caused confusion over the source of funding as it stated it was from the Welsh Government.
