A PIGEON fancier who is objecting to the increase in the peregrine falcon population has been criticised for attacking a very successful conservation initiative.

The RSPB has hit back at claims by John Ledger that the society has reintroduced peregrines and is more concerned with birds of prey than other members of the bird population.

Mr Ledger, of Osborne Terrace, Stacksteads, claims he has lost 10 racing birds to hawks in the last few weeks and is planning a personal challenge the RSPB's charitable status. But regional public affairs manager for the RSPB Andre Farrar, said: "There is a myth that has been going round for a number of years that the RSPB is actually releasing peregrine falcons and that is why there has been an increase, but that is not the case.

"During the war, peregrines on the south coast were killed by the military because Lancaster bombers had carrier pigeons on board which were used to bring messages back if a plane got into difficulty.

"After the war this exercise stopped, but pigeon racers said there had been an increase in the peregrine population and so the Government carried out a survey."

This revealed that the peregrine population was in fact decreasing, so a series of conservation initiatives were introduced.

In the 1970s, '80s and early '90s, the RSPB was actively protecting peregrines' nesting sites from egg thieves and Mr Farrar said: "Since then things have steadily improved and now the population is as healthy as it has been since records began. The birds are still fully protected but less of a conservation priority.

"It is ironic that we have one sector saying what has been a successful exercise is a negative thing. It is inevitable where you have birds of prey they will be eating other birds."

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