h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

While certainly they do kill some garden birds, I suspect the common or garden mogey has more to do with it sometimes. Cats sometimes seem to kill for the shear fun of it and certainly not hunger as most get more than enough food from humans to keep them going. I deliberately didn't say cat owners since the more enlightened amoung us, mainly the cats, know that cats are not owned......

Of course they are not owned 'tis the other way around judging by all my friends with cats.

That is certainly a point of view. s certainly do kill from an age old hunting instinct, and I know they take their atch home as for their humans. I found one such under my mother-in-law's bed years ago!!!

I am not sure the figures prove that moggies are the biggest culprits, any more than magpies are. I m not sure we will ever know the answer, but I do know there are more cats than ever, both homed and rescued. Our area is swamped with them, some houses having as many as four.

Websailor

It is interesting as one of my bird DVDs talks of Sparrow Hawks and Magpies being wrongly blamed for demise of Song Thrushes when the more likely cause is a wide use of insecticides on farms and in some gardens which kill the snails that Song Thrushes eat. They said that in one area that was supplied with artificial calcium the population of Song Thrushes increased, which is great!
Not sure what you could use in a garden, perhaps cuttle fish thingies used for budgerigars(sp?)?.
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Although Sparrow Hawks may seem harsh, perhaps the birds that escape their clutches are the brightest, hence best for breeding so make a stronger line.

You could be right about the survival of the fittest, that's is Nature's way usually.

Our bird food supplier sells oystershell grit for added calcium for the birds. Don't know about snails though, but it is known that song bird numbers don't go down when there a good number of predators, or up when there are none, so I think the insecticides, herbicides and pesticides are most likely the culprits.

Haven't ever used chemicals in my garden in over forty years so it should be good for the wildlife

Websailor

An enjoyable read .

Many years ago I used to be in charge of all chemicals at the garden centre. This included the agricultural type chemicals for the grounds as well as the customer brought ones.

I went on various courses and had to learn all about spillage's and what equipment was needed to use them and also about each certain make and ingredient.

I will be honest and then, did not realize what effect it had on our atmosphere and wildlife, all that was my goal was selling as many as possible achieving a certain profit margin each week.

It was only when chemicals starting disappearing off our shelves did I realize and starting to research more into what harm each ingredient did. I then encouraged customers to buy a more 'friendly' way of controlling pests such as nematodes or less damaging chemicals.

I also used a lot of agricultural chemicals for use on-site, when spraying, would catch the odd bee or wasp which, at the time thought it was safe for them until later research proved otherwise.

Now, I always look for the most 'friendly' way of resolving any pest problem taking into consideration the wildlife and heath issues that surround us.

Nigel

It would be good if they could invent ways of just killing a specific pest and not things not targeted. Although one man's pest is another man's friend, lol,

Hello Websailor, Nigel, Strangely Strange! Isn't it strange that I just sent you a picture of a goshawk and now I read of your sparrowhawks! Over here I've never seen one of these birds in the garden. There are some in nature reserves and wild places, though. I'll keep my eye out next time I'm in the 'bush'!

We have two cats, and I don't know if they ever catch birds ... I often see the cats sitting close to where the birds are eating, all quite aware of each other and seemingly not perturbed ....

It is typical that since I have had a digital camera our Sparrowhawks have stayed away! I have just checked breeding details and I suspect we may well be having some visits soon as their chicks should be about ready to be fed on other birds' fledglings

Thanks for the reminder Willem, I will keep the camera handy. That would be a real thrill.

Websailor