Larsen traps - I thought they were illegal? (1 Viewer)

[Vectis Birder]

While out birding with our local group we saw a Larsen trap, containing two Magpies, in an orchard on a farm.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought Larsen traps were illegal?

 

[matt green]

I've seen these also,

Last time I saw one being used on my local patch the magpie seemed to be
subdued somehow,It just sat there and remained motionless as I approached.I did note a nearby plastic container,have no idea what it contained but it looked like a white plastic oil bottle that you might by for your car?

On first sight I thought some food had been baited with something,on one occasion the farmer saw me taking an interest in one of his traps and became quite ''agitated''

Either way I don't like the look of them one bit,would much prefer to see them controlled in the ''traditional'' way-if they must.

Matt

 

[Keith Reeder]

Nope, not illegal as long as the "bait bird" within is given food and water, and any caught birds are dispatched quickly and humanely.

Non-target birds should be released immediately.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/m/magpie/legal_control_methods.asp

Still hate the bloody things though...

 

[joe cockram]

As has been said, Larsen traps are perfectly legal if used in a humane manner (bait birds fed and watered, traps checked regularly etc.)

They are a very efficient way of controlling magpies and can give very good results if used responsibly. A friend of mine on Salisbury plain uses them with great success and ground nesting birds (stone curlews and stuff) do benefit enormously.

joe

 

[dafi]

these traps were used on the farm i lived on in kent. Not by me i might add but thay made BIG diffrence in song bird numbers. The magpies were the most sickening things working there way through the hedges only raiding nests after the chicks were hatched. Sitting in the house you would hear the racket as thay drove the parent birds away and try as you might theres only so menny times you could drive them off. Plus these birds are smart as whips so would wait till we went to work and then start. Trapping and humain destrution prooved to be an efective tool in maintaining ever expanding numbers and reduceing predation.
I

 

[Jane Turner]

Just to prevent this one getting out of hand. Anyone genuinely interested in reading the evidence on the "value" of trapping Magpies - wade through this thread.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=26754

 

[dafi]

oops presed the wrong button asi was just saying i know this is a hugely emotive subject that splits opinion toward two verry entrenched camps of pro n con but it is not against the law. The situation that a lot of our indiginious birds and migrants find themselfs in is desprate ,shrinking habitat ,shrinking wintering grounds ,declining numbers and more .I think there is a place for control of magpie numbers to reduce predation and give the rest a fighting chance if it was to protect game birds for the shooting industry then id be totaly opposed other wise its tough but positive and yields real results.

 

[Jane Turner]

The one hit version! If you can't be bothered with all the hyperbole in the above thread

http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=259229&postcount=105

 

[dafi]

Just to prevent this one getting out of hand. Anyone genuinely interested in reading the evidence on the "value" of trapping Magpies - wade through this thread.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=26754

huge thread Jane intresting. B ut it go to show what i said its a hugely emotive subject i dont have a sientific answer just local observatons over five years how it affected us. i would agree with you and ask every one to have a look through the other thread as its huge and most of its been turned over and over before and most camps make intresting points.

 

[gyrfalcon]

Why are they (Magpies) expanding in the first place?

 

[mattie]

not the most selective way of controling corvids cause owls sparrow hawks etc have been known to get trapped

 

[joe cockram]

not the most selective way of controling corvids cause owls sparrow hawks etc have been known to get trapped

true, but if the traps are being checked as frequently as they should be, at least these birds can be released without being harmed.

joe

 

[Jodd]

true, but if the traps are being checked as frequently as they should be, at least these birds can be released without being harmed.

joe

In the ideal world - but how many of these traps are not checked frequently, and birds (both target and non target) are left to suffer without food, water or shelter and also persecuted by other predators or people.

 

[joe cockram]

In the ideal world - but how many of these traps are not checked frequently, and birds (both target and non target) are left to suffer without food, water or shelter and also persecuted by other predators or people.

Yes, thats why i said "as frequently as they should be". i'm not going to go into the good gamekeeper/ bad gamekeeper debate. If the traps are used to the guidelines they are a perfectly reasonable tool for corvid control.

joe

 

[KnockerNorton]

In the ideal world - but how many of these traps are not checked frequently, and birds (both target and non target) are left to suffer without food, water or shelter and also persecuted by other predators or people.

I think the legal requirement is to check every 24 hrs. If you think about it, if you want to trap as many birds as possible, you're not going to leave your trap too long as they work best with only 1-2 birds in. Also, the longer you leave it, the more noise that more birds will make, possibly attracting unwanted attention from Joe Public. While it's legal, landowners are wary about getting targetted by 'animal rights' people.

While they're not exactly pleasant (the bait bird is not going to have a happy existence, for example), it's better than pole traps and poison, which are the other 'alternatives'.

Unless you're doing it over a landscape (parish) scale, however, taking out a regular stream of magpies is not goinn to affect the local population - there'll always be plenty of recruits.

 

[Vectis Birder]

Thanks for all the replies, guys.