Listen "Bird of prey persecution in the UK"
Episode Synopsis
From silhouetted soaring buzzards to the powerful elegance of an osprey snatching a fish from a lake, birds of prey are incredible animals that have entranced us for centuries. Unfortunately, however, this has not prevented them from being persecuted.This episode we are tackling a slightly more serious and somber topic but one that we believe definitely needs talking about and is certainly close to our hearts. So, grab a coffee and join us as we look at how our magnificent birds of prey have been persecuted, both throughout history and its continued prevalence today.But it's not all doom and gloom, we also delve into the tricky world of defining exactly what a 'bird of prey' really is, our historical relationship with these birds, and we of course, highlight the fantastic organisations working tirelessly to protect and restore our bird of prey populations. Steve even throws a surprise quiz in there to test Matthew's knowledge of our UK species.This is a topic that we are both passionate about and despite the heavier nature of the research, we really enjoyed recording this episode. We hope you enjoy listening.Get in touch:As always, please do contact us with any questions, feedback, comments, or just to say hi! You can find us both on Instagram:Steve - @a.bird.in.the.lensMatthew - @a.bug.in.the.lensTimestamps00:00:00 Catch up00:0153 Introducing Birds of Prey00:20:27 A history of persecution00:24:06 How they are persecuted today00:40:19 The positives: changing perceptions and brilliant organisationsLinkshttps://protectthewild.org.uk/our-campaigns/end-shooting/bird-shooting-faqs/what-raptor-persecution/Why the illegal killings of birds of prey is surging in the UK | The IndependentBirds of prey and the Law - Protect the WildGoshawks back from the brink in southern England | Forestry EnglandRSPB Hen Harrier LIFE Report - Skydancer - the UK's hen harriers - Skydancer - The RSPB CommunityGame Bird Shooting | The LeagueAbout Wild Justice - Wild Justice
More episodes of the podcast The Birdy Bug Pod
Release the beavers!
12/12/2025
Much (more) ado about Curlews
20/11/2025
Help the humble bumble bee
22/10/2025
Birds ARE dinosaurs
28/08/2025
Discussing Dragonflies
14/08/2025
Cuckoos & the challenges they face
31/07/2025
Our 50th episode!
16/07/2025
Incredibly Important Invertebrates
15/05/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.