Wading Bird Predator Management: Ethics and Evidence

Predator management to protect wading birds is effective but ethically complex; the evidence base for humane methods continues to develop.

Key Facts

Corvid and fox predation are the primary limiting factors for lapwing, curlew, and redshank in lowland farmland.
Larsen traps, cage traps, and shooting are the primary legal methods for corvid and fox management.
GWCT research demonstrates that predator management in wader-managed areas increases productivity 2-3 fold.
Predator exclosure fencing around breeding areas provides an alternative to lethal management with some success.
All trapping operations must be operated under general or specific licence and checked daily at minimum.
Non-target species captured in cage traps must be released immediately and unharmed.

Welfare Considerations

Predator management for conservation purposes involves welfare costs to the controlled animals and welfare benefits to the protected species. Ethical decision-making requires weighing these competing interests, considering the conservation urgency, the welfare of individual predators, and the availability of non-lethal alternatives. Poorly operated trapping causes unnecessary suffering; training, licensing, and daily trap inspection standards exist to minimise this.

What You Can Do

Obtain appropriate training and licensing before undertaking any predator management for wader conservation.
Check all traps daily at minimum and release non-target species promptly and unharmed.
Consider predator exclosure fencing as an alternative or complement to lethal management.
Support GWCT and RSPB research into the most welfare-effective predator management approaches for wader conservation.