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Save Bird Population by Keeping Cats indoors.

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Just seen on Jeremy vine Channel 5.  27 Million Birds a year are killed by roaming Cats.  The thing is,  if  people keep cats locked in the house gardens will probably be over run by Mice and Rats.  :huh:

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Here's the RSPB's take on the subject:

Despite the large numbers of birds killed by cats in gardens, there is no clear scientific evidence that such mortality is causing bird populations to decline. This may be surprising, but many millions of birds die naturally every year, mainly through starvation, disease or other forms of predation. There is evidence that cats tend to take weak or sickly birds.

If the RSPB aren't worried about it, there's little point in your worrying either.

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IT's J Vine, so probably most of what he said wasnt shall we say entirely accurate...

 

Cats are a native species - you are not going to get rid of them and as said, they do keep down mice and rat populations to a large extent as well..

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Nature tends to work on the basis of survival of the fittest, so if a bird fails to dodge a cat its not fit enough to survive.  Harsh but true.  Also, I had a dog that would catch birds and rats, there was NO way I was going to try and keep him in!!!

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Regular cat presence will definitely discourage bird activity in your garden - whether it’s feeding stations, nesting boxes etc. People who own cats appear to think that it’s fine for their pets to roam all over others property- defecating, urinating and scaring the birds. Whereas as a dog owner I’m (rightfully) expected to keep my dog off others property and to have full control of it when out walking. It’s not the cats fault, of course it’s either carelessness or cluelessness of the owners thats the problem. 

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14 minutes ago, beefface said:

Regular cat presence will definitely discourage bird activity in your garden - whether it’s feeding stations, nesting boxes etc. People who own cats appear to think that it’s fine for their pets to roam all over others property- defecating, urinating and scaring the birds. Whereas as a dog owner I’m (rightfully) expected to keep my dog off others property and to have full control of it when out walking. It’s not the cats fault, of course it’s either carelessness or cluelessness of the owners thats the problem. 

Lol, there's always one :roll eyes:

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1 hour ago, alchemist said:

Nature tends to work on the basis of survival of the fittest, so if a bird fails to dodge a cat its not fit enough to survive.  Harsh but true.  

Agreed.

 

Birds have a great advantage over cats - birds can fly - cats can't.

 

Unless cats get airborne they're not really going to do that much damage to the bird population.

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I've got two nest boxes, both used (blue tits), two well frequented feeding areas with multiple species, and at least two other nests (long tailed tit and wren) in my garden.... and two cats!

 

Yes they have occasionally brought down a bird but that's life. They also kill rats, mice and rabbits. The RSPB's stance seems very balanced and sensible to me.

 

The real problem is habitat loss. Moaning about a predator killing likely weak/sickly prey whilst sitting in your lovely new estate house built  all over an area where lapwings used to breed and now can't (this example based on a real planning application that's trying to go through now) seems a bit daft, imo. 

 

 

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Cats are scared stiff of the Magpies where I live.

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25 minutes ago, melthebell said:

Who talks stupidity

Can't see anything stupid about that post,  in fact I could add, digging up peoples plants as well to the list.

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