Concern that buzzards are killing red squirrels
increasing numbers of birds of prey in scotland prompts call for control
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Growing numbers of buzzards could have had a negative impact on other rare species, it has been claimed.
The bird of prey known for targeting carrion and rabbits is also said to be killing endangered animals including red squirrels.
Michael Wolf Murray has lived at Logie Coldstone near Aboyne for eight years.
The 79-year-old regularly works on Aberdeenshire estates during the grouse season and ran a grouse moor near Galashiels for four years.
He says the number of local species like curlews and red squirrels has dropped as the buzzard population has grown.
“It is generally accepted now that buzzards have changed their hunting habits,” he said.
“We have not seen a single family of curlew or oyster catcher and absolutely no lapwing.
“It’s difficult to say what has written them off but, undoubtedly, the buzzards have played a big part.
“Another concern is that they are killing red squirrels.
“Whether the authorities quite realise the damage that buzzards are doing to them is open to doubt.
“In Scotland at the moment undoubtedly the buzzard should be controlled in some way.”
The latest figures from the British Trust for Ornithology show a 56% rise in the number of buzzards since 1994.
A spokeswoman for the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust said there was not yet enough scientific research for a conclusive answer to the impact of increased buzzard numbers.
“We do know they will take red squirrels,” she said.
A spokesman for the RSPB said: “Buzzards primarily take a lot of rabbits. They even take insects and no one is denying they do take other species occasionally.
“They are recovering from historic persecution and illegal killing.
“Some organisations and pressure groups recently called for buzzards to be culled.
“It is based on erroneous figures and information about what buzzards do and what they eat.”
Meanwhile, a project to protect red squirrels from a deadly disease carried by their grey cousins should be extended to Angus, an MSP has claimed.
An initiative involving a number of organisations is being launched to stop the spread of squirrel pox in the south of Scotland today.
The disease is lethal to red squirrels but does not affect the greys which were introduced to Britain from the US.
The Red Squirrels in South Scotland (RSSS) Project will cover Dumfries and Galloway, the Borders, east and south Ayrshire and south Lanarkshire.
Mid Scotland and Fife Tory MSP Murdo Fraser is already pursuing action to protect red squirrels, including research into contraception to stop grey squirrels breeding.
He welcomed the news the Scottish Government was taking “real action” to protect red squirrels.
“If we do not stop the spread of non-native grey squirrels and the squirrel pox then the red squirrel will eventually become extinct in Scotland,” he said.
“I now want to see action to protect red squirrels replicated in Angus so that the red squirrels do not vanish from the area.”
Scotland is the last stronghold in the UK for red squirrels and is home to about 120,000 of the creatures – 75% of the UK population.
This is compared to a population of more than 2.5million grey squirrels.
As Loch Garten's latest two osprey chicks begin their 3,000-mile journey to West Africa for the winter, satellite tags on them mean the public can track their every movement.
Nethy and Deshar began to fly south last week.
They can be tracked on www.rspb.org.uk/ospreytracking
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