wood pigeons

[Stubby]

Or just leave it on. Amusing to watch a flock jump two feet and carry on as normal after a bang:001_smile:

 

I don't bother shooting nowadays...just work my dog. I'm not even convinced they do much damage to rape. Even after grazing a field it seems to come back stronger than ever. The smell of a pigeon's crop full of rape could put you off eating them forever!

 

They taste a little bitter when on the rape ./ I prefer shot over peas

[wisecobandit]

Someone prove to me about it being against any law to shoot a woodpigeon whilst nesting...

 

As said they breed all year round and can be shot all year round. Anyone shooting a field of crops/stubble/rape etc wont have a clue if they have a nest or not.

Pigeons will be almost nesting again within weeks of the fledgings leaving at this time of year using the same nest so unless you hold off til autumn you will be at risk.

[Stubby]

Someone prove to me about it being against any law to shoot a woodpigeon whilst nesting...

 

As said they breed all year round and can be shot all year round. Anyone shooting a field of crops/stubble/rape etc wont have a clue if they have a nest or not.

Pigeons will be almost nesting again within weeks of the fledgings leaving at this time of year using the same nest so unless you hold off til autumn you will be at risk.

 

I would have better than a clue , I would be pretty certain they had a nest whatever the time of year ....I am 61 now and shot them from about 15 years old . Never Ever make dent in the pigeon population even with red hot barrels

[Brett]

Please see attached.

 

Note:

 

"All wild birds(1) are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), whilst

they are actively nesting or roosting. Section 1 of this Act, makes it an offence to kill, injure or take

any wild bird, and to intentionally(2) take, damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while that nest

is in use or being built. It is also an offence to take or destroy any wild bird eggs"

 

Bird_Nesting_Advice_Note_1.pdf

[Stubby]

Please see attached.

 

Note:

 

"All wild birds(1) are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), whilst

they are actively nesting or roosting. Section 1 of this Act, makes it an offence to kill, injure or take

any wild bird, and to intentionally(2) take, damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while that nest

is in use or being built. It is also an offence to take or destroy any wild bird eggs"

 

[ATTACH]159485[/ATTACH]

 

That means then , that you could never shoot a woodie ever as they nest all year round . Tell that to a farmer with a few acres of peas .....

[CJM]

What about chipping them??

[waz77]

You can shoot them out in the field all year round but it is an offence to disturb any nesting bird or destroy nests in the nesting season, so even when they've fledged in theory you can't disturb the nest as you can't prove it's not in use, nests are protected even while they are still being built in the nesting season.

[Jamie M]

Waz and Brett, totally agree with your posts. Both legally correct to the letter.

[wisecobandit]

That means then , that you could never shoot a woodie ever as they nest all year round . Tell that to a farmer with a few acres of peas .....

 

LOl yeah and roost shooting illegal by that despite literally every pigeon shooter having done it ..

I don't think the above is likely meant for legal quarry/vermin which is listed by the National England list

 

Its all gumph and bs. If a robin or wagtail etc nests in food premises or locations your allowed to legally destroy it due to health reasons but clearly you couldn't destroy them normally. Councils starting to take the eggs out of seagulls nests in urban areas etc and not always on the N.England list

You are legally entitled to shoot Canadian geese eating grass out of season be it on a farm or on a golf course.

 

The question is has anyone been prosecuted by destroying a pigeons nest Ive never seen or heard of it and its not an uncommon practice.

[wisecobandit]

Pigeon Pest Control and the Law - PCRC

 

The control of feral pigeons and all other wild birds in the UK is legislated by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), courtesy of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (Chapter 69). The Act deals with all matters relating to the management of wildlife, the provision of licences and wildlife conservation. Although DEFRA oversees and legislates where all issues relating to the management of wildlife in the UK are concerned, it does not provide any type of ‘pigeon pest control’ service nor is it responsible for problems caused by wild birds. The responsibility for dealing with problems caused by wild birds is the sole preserve of the property or landowner concerned.DEFRA DEFRA publishes a wide variety of advisory leaflets designed to provide advice to the general public and, should the specific problem not be covered in a DEFRA publication, specialist wildlife advisors are available to discuss the problem in as much detail as necessary. All information relating to the control of wild birds can be sourced from the DEFRA website at: defra design.