Bird droppings in the UK

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.


For birds in the United Kingdom, the choice seems to be clear: either find a new home or start packing heat. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds reported 681 crimes against wild birds in the UK last year, a significant increase from previous years, reports the BBC.

Recent Must Reads

10/10 – Not so Humane Society

10/7 – Halliburton’s bad gas

10/6 – Tasty turtles in hot water

10/5 – (F)oiled again

The crimes included shooting, poisoning, and a curiously high number of nest robberies. (The MoJo Wire was unable to ascertain the street value of a peregrine falcon egg.)

One possible explanation is that some types of birds, such as the red kite , are now far more widespread than they were, thanks to efforts to reintroduce them. However, the RSPB says existing laws preventing crimes against wildlife urgently need to be strengthened and enforced more consistently.

Recent years have been tough on the whole for British birds. Last month, the INDEPENDENT reported on the perplexing disappearance of the house sparrow from British cities.

PLEASE—BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please do your part and help us reach our $150,000 membership goal by May 31.

payment methods

PLEASE—BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please do your part and help us reach our $150,000 membership goal by May 31.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate