Time for the truth.

Yorkshire Dales Moorland Group

The RSPB has released its Bird Crime Report and once again it predictably focuses an inordinate amount of attention on the gamekeeping profession. Why is the YDMG not embracing the report and working with the RSPB to improve the fortunes of moorland birds? Well to put it bluntly, the report is pure exaggeration, wordsmithing for self-promotion and simply the unjustified stigmatisation of a rural occupation and craft without basis. YDMG will refrain from using too many emotional remarks about the RSPB report but suffice it to say the moorland gamekeeping community is offended by the report and it’s misrepresentations. Instead we choose to draw everyone’s attention to some details that the RSPB chooses to conveniently ignore time and time again.

1. Moorland keepers have helped to increase hen harriers on uplands by 800% in the last five years.

2. Managed grouse moors outperform bird reserves for red and amber listed waders with almost half of all the U.K. curlews breeding on grouse moors. A bird of the highest conservation priority.

3. Merlins, Britains smallest falcon, breeding successfully on managed moors and more than on any other land type.

4. Peregrines at their highest recorded population levels to the point of colonising cities and urban areas.

5. All raptors at their highest levels with the exception of Montagu’s harriers which favour lowlands and bird reserves.

6. Kestrels and Barn Owls making a strong recovery in upland areas as a result of gamekeeper nest boxes and mustelid management.

7. Persecution incidents involving land management only representing 0.05% of the gamekeeping profession.

8. South West Scotland Golden Eagle project supplied by Scottish estates and coordinated with gamekeeper support and involvement.

9. Moorland restoration taking place to improve habitat and protect carbon stores all involving gamekeepers and estate staff.

10. The largest ever curlew head starting project being supplied with eggs from managed moors. The project being carried out entirely by gamekeepers and grouse moor coordinators with releases being done by gamekeepers across estates in the south of the country. The gamekeepers are saving the curlew!