Magpie trapped in a cage

Gaygle

Gaygle

Gaygle

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Joined
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East of England
Earlier today i decided to go on an epic walk due to the nice weather. I live in a very rural area and as such there are many fields in which i went walking. Despite living "in the sticks" for 21 years I came across something i have never seen before though, some kind of "trap" for magpies and crows?

There was a magpie that had been trapped, a dead rotting hare (presumably for food or to lure it) and a bottle of water. This trap was absolutely tiny, no more that about 50cmx50cmx25cm (LxWxH) and the magpie looked as though it was in considerable stress. I really wanted to free it, but i saw a message it on that said something about the Conservative Act of 1981 and it is illegal to free this bird and that it was being kept in good conditions (even though i could see it clearly wasn't!) and by freeing it i was trespassing and liable to presecution.

I'm planning to go on another walk tomorrow, should i free it? It really wasn't humane how it was being kept, was definately distressed and i hated seeing it flapping around helplessly, but didn't really want to get in any ****.
 
knip said:
Why not ring the RSPB?
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I looked on the RSPCA website but didn't find anything - i totally forgot about the RSPB so i just had a look...

RSPB said:
The RSPB does not oppose legal, site-specific control of magpies, as long as control does not threaten the conservation status of the species. The RSPB is seeking to develop non-lethal methods of controlling corvid predation on its reserves.
The Game Conservancy Trust will advise on the use of the Larsen trap. This is a wire cage trap with a spring-loaded door, designed to catch the bird alive. It can be baited with food, or with a live decoy magpie. This is legal as long as the decoy bird is humanely treated, sheltered and given food and water daily.
The trap must be checked regularly, at least every 24 hours. Any magpie or carrion crow caught may be humanely destroyed. Any non-target species must be released.
If you discover a Larsen trap which contains anything other than a magpie, carrion crow, rook, jackdaw or jay, contact the RSPB's Investigations department or your local Police Wildlife Crime Officer, as these traps can be misused to trap birds of prey.
Magpies may be shot, again only by a landowner or someone acting with the landowner's permission, for the purposes outlined above. Shooting must be well away from public roads and houses, so is seldom possible in urban areas.
It is also legal to destroy a magpie nest, even if it is in use. However, old magpie nests are often used by protected species, such as long-eared owls in rural areas and blackbirds in suburban areas, so check very carefully first.
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uv said:
http://www.jncc.gov.uk/page-3614

The 1981 wildlife act is there to protect birds. Read through the link, then set it free :)
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Sorry, just remembered the note said something about promoting songbirds and another species.
 
Yep we have magpie traps, they are indeed vermin and are commonly controlled on farms. There is usually a call bird to attract more of them.

If the bird didn't have water of food then its a problem, and you should moan at the farmer. Otherwise its probably/should be checked a couple of times a day.
 
Yup that'd be a Larsen trap. Leave it alone, and don't trespass next time :p So long as the call bird has food (the carcass), water and shelter (usually a piece of board over one corner of the trap) it's all good. That trap will be checked at least once, and up to three times a day.

I can also confirm it would indeed be illegal to release it, under The Wildlife & Countryside Act. Not to mention your tort of trespass, and potentially (if someone wanted to get arsey) criminal damage.
 
Rainmaker said:
Yup that'd be a Larsen trap. Leave it alone, and don't trespass next time :p
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It's all in the name of getting fit. I just go on epic walks when i'm bored and i actually got lost today and had to use the sat-nav on my phone to tell me where i was!!

Rainmaker said:
I can also confirm it would indeed be illegal to release it, under The Wildlife & Countryside Act. Not to mention your tort of trespass, and potentially (if someone wanted to get arsey) criminal damage.
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Just annoying because of how much distress it was in. I don't even know why it was caged in the first place as the RSPB concluded after a 35 year investigation that the population of magpie have no bearing on the population of songbirds!

And they really are nice looking birds. I'd never seen one up close but they are strangely stunning!
 
How do you know it was distressed? Honest question. Magpies can and do present a nuisance and will happily take song and game bird eggs and chicks. So long as the call bird in the trap you saw had food and water, I wouldn't worry about it. Happy walking, and remember the poacher's golden rule... Don't get caught! ;) :p
 
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