Rise in population of crows and avian predators linked to pheasant shoots

Call for ecological impact assessment of huge numbers of non-native gamebirds released in UK by shooting industry

Large-scale pheasant and partridge shoots are boosting the populations of avian predators including crows, jays, ravens and buzzards, which are feeding on millions of the non-native gamebirds, according to a new study.

Despite gamekeepers legally trapping and shooting many avian predators to protect pheasants and partridges, researchers found "multiple positive associations" between areas of lowland Britain with large numbers of reared pheasants and partridges and higher populations of avian predators.