Category Archives: Law

Duck Hunting Disallowed In Friesland

by Amy Posted on 23 November 2006

A judge in the Frisian town of Leeuwarden placed a ban on duck hunting last Friday. Frisian government officials had previously granted hunters the right to shoot wild ducks in case the birds might cause damage (to property). The Dutch wildlife protection group Faunabescherming found this allowance too vague and took it up with the courts.

The province must now draft a new law if it wishes to allow duck hunting. The law must be more clearly written.

Source: Streep door afschieten wilde eenden in Friesland

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Birder Disturbs Osprey Nest, Fined £300

by Amy Posted on 18 November 2006

A birdwatcher in Scotland has been fined £300 for pitching a tent 60 feet from the base of tree housing a nest used by a pair of ospreys. When he was discovered by RSPB officials, the adult ospreys were seen circling around the nest, one with a fish in its mouth, apparently afraid to return to the nest because of the tent. Read more about the incident in The Scotsman.

Fledgling Ospreys in Nest
Fledgling Ospreys in Nest by Mr. T in DC, on Flickr

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Falcon Demonstrations Anything But Educational

by Amy Posted on 28 October 2006

BirdLife International’s Belgian partner Vogelbescherming Vlaanderen has expressed concern over the increasing number of demonstrations involving birds of prey. People calling themselves falconers offer their services to schools, groups and public events, which in turn are picked up by the media. But often the so-called falconers are what Vogelbescherming calls ‘pseudo-falconers’, people who are using the art of falconry as a means of income and not to promote the welfare of the animals. Sometimes the pseudo-falconers have large number of day and night birds of prey captured by unsavory means.

An increase in the number of ransackings and plunderings of raptor nests is a cause for alarm according to Vogelbescherming.

Pseudo-falconers keep their birds in small cages or use means to restrict the birds’ movement which is a serious form of maltreatment, according to Vogelbescherming. The birds are further abused by means of starvation used to allow them to be manipulated with food rewards.

Source: Roofvogeldemonstraties zijn allesbehalve educatief

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Anti-Dove Hunting Ads Precede Michigan Vote

by Amy Posted on 20 October 2006

A statewide TV campaign has begun to convince Michigan voters to vote against a proposed bill to allow dove hunting in the state. The birds are shot purely for sport, as they are not a nuisance nor suffer from overpopulation, and they are not eaten after they are shot. The state’s longtime ban on dove shooting was lifted in 2004 but petitioners suspended implementation of the law, leading to the upcoming November 7 vote. Read all about the campaign on M Live.

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Illegal Bird Trading Problem In Holland

by Amy Posted on 5 August 2006

A study by the Dutch bird protection agency Vogelbescherming has revealed that there is a big problem with illegally caught wild birds in the Netherlands. Nests are robbed and the hatchlings are sold at bird shows and markets and over the internet.

The illegal trade of wild birds has been investigated more thoroughly since the subject was brought before the European Court in 1996. Since that time legally traded birds must be ringed. According to Vogelbescherming, the ringing process has been circumvented with illegal and forged rings.

Source: Wilde vogels zijn vogelvrij

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Dutch Town Gassing Pigeons

by Amy Posted on 19 July 2006

Last week a judge ruled that the Dutch town of Groningen can continue catching and gassing pigeons in the city center. The animal protection agency Dierenbescherming had tried to stop the killings by bringing a lawsuit against the municipality.

According to the judge the large population of pigeons is a serious nuisance in Groningen and the town is justified to catch the birds and kill them with poisonous gas.

Dierenbescherming had presented more humane methods of removing the birds from the city center, including luring the pigeons away with special food. According to the judge the alternative methods would not rid the town of the pigeons fast enough.

Source: Rechter: Groningen mag duiven vergassen

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Posted in Law, Netherlands, Pigeons! | 1 Comment

Netherlands Must Tighten Up Bird Legislation

by Amy Posted on 11 July 2006

Last week the European Commission, the governing body of the EU, asked the Netherlands and twelve other member states to adopt bird preservation legislation. According to the commission, the Netherlands does not do enough to limit hunting on certain bird species, and more must be done to prevent egg-stealing.

If member states do not adopt the new legislation, the commission can take further legal steps to impel compliance.

Source: Nederland moet wetgeving over vogels aanscherpen

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France Opposes Extra Space For Chickens

by Amy Posted on 16 June 2006

A group of EU countries, under the leadership of France, has blocked a proposed plan to increase the minimum living space for farm chickens. The group is concerned about EU farms competing with Brazilan chicken farmers.

The European Commission currently mandates a maximum of 38 kilos of chickens per square meter. The proposal, brought by Dutch PvdA party member Thijs Berman, was seeking a maximum of 34 kg of chickens per square meter by 2013.

Berman’s reacted with deep disappointment. According to Berman, today’s EU consumers prefer a meat from well-cared for chickens and even indicated that some Brazilian chickens today have more space than some EU chickens.

Germany, Great Britain and the Scandinavian countries back the proposal, but together they do not constitute enough votes against the French coalition.

Source: Frankrijk blokkeert extra ruimte voor kippen

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EU Ministers Discuss Lifting Wild Bird Ban

by Amy Posted on 15 June 2006

EU veterinarians are meeting in Brussels today to discuss recommending the lifting of a temporary ban on importing wild birds. The ban was implemented during last year’s bird flu scare. The EU ban has nearly collapsed the wild bird trade in some parts of the world; Europe accounts for 93% of global avian trade following a similar ban in the U.S., implemented in 1992. Read the full story EU urged not to lift its ban on ‘cruel’ import of wild birds in the Independent.

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