Is rat bait killing kestrels?

Rodenticides may be driving declines in kestrels. Scientists from the RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, and Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture tested the livers of kestrels found dead.

Traces of rodent poisons were found in 161 of the 241 kestrels tested. Importantly, the scientists found that older birds had higher levels of the poison in their livers than younger birds, suggesting that the amount of poison in the birds’ bodies increased over time.

They also found that areas where large amounts of poison were used had fewer kestrels than areas where less poison was used. Between 1978 and 2018 the number of kestrels in the UK nearly halved.

While the study did not provide definitive evidence that rodenticides were driving declines, it did show a link between the amounts of rodenticides used and the numbers of kestrels.

Fieldsports enthusiasts were quick to highlight the alternatives to using poisons to control rats. A spokesman for the Tweed Valley Rat Pack, Scotland’s premier rat hunting team, said: “Part of what we aim to do is to help balance the need to control rats with the need to protect owls and other birds of prey. This study provides even more evidence that terriers are not only the most humane way to control rats, but also the method that is best for the environment.”

With the weather rapidly warming up and most of the country having experienced another mild winter, ticks are a serious and growing threat. Working gundogs are particularly susceptible to picking up ticks so treat your dog now with an appropriate treatment. A vet should be able to advise on the best product for your dog.

The Royal Berkshire Shooting School Handicap Challenge is under way and will run for nine weeks, until Saturday, 29 May. The challenge is an open handicapped 100-target English sporting championship with the course built to a ‘par’ score of 94 out of 100. The handicap system gives everyone the opportunity to win. Entry costs £55 if you are shooting one round or £50 if you’re shooting with a friend or two rounds in one day.

For full details about this competition and others, visit rbss.co.uk

Numbers of kestrels in the UK nearly halved between 1978 and 2018