§ Lord Tebbitasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether their use of trained birds of prey to remove pigeons from government buildings is compatible with their policies towards animal rights and welfare. [HL585]
§ Lord WhittyAll wild birds are protected under Section 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which implements the EC Birds Directive in the United Kingdom. However, Section 16 of the 1981 Act sets out the circumstances under which Defra can issue licences to control protected species of birds.
The feral pigeon is included in the list of 13 "pest birds" covered by general licences. These licences allow the control of listed birds by authorised persons all year round, where they are considered a threat to `public health and safety. Permissible methods would include the use of trained birds of prey to control pigeon populations.
Using raptors to control pigeons emulates the naturally occurring predator/prey relationship. This method, operated under the strict auspices of the departmental licence, is compatible with the Government's policies towards animal rights and welfare.