Farmers want to deploy gas guns to tackle raven menace
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Scotland's gamekeepers want to tackle the problem of the booming number of ravens - which they say feed on grouse chicks - by deploying controversial gas guns.
The use of ‘scarers’ on moors has been backed by the Scottish Gamekeeper Association - claiming they are one of the only means to protect ground-nesting birds from the growing raven population.
Gas guns, timed to produce periodic bangs, and inflatable scaring devices, have been used by farmers for many decades, to prevent pigeons and crows from damaging crops.
In the past decade, gamekeepers have deployed them on moors at hatching time to move on flocks of legally protected ravens, whose numbers have grown by 40 per cent in 18 years.
A study commissioned by SNH of dotterel nests in East Drumochter showed ravens to be the main cause of nest failure, with 96 per cent of ptarmigan nests in one year also predated by ravens.
The intelligent birds will feed on red and black grouse chicks and the young and eggs of red-listed curlew and other endangered moorland waders.
The grouse industry is vitally important to rural Scotland.
An area of around 2.5 million acres is used for grouse shooting - one seventh of Scotland’s land mass - supporting 2640 full time jobs and providing £30.1 million in wages.
The economic contribution of all types of shooting and stalking in Scotland is estimated at about £200 million per year, with grouse shooting directly contributing approximately £40 million plus in a good grouse year.
But conservation charities have questioned the deployment of scarers on grouse moors, claiming they may disturb other protected nesting raptors.
That has been challenged robustly by gamekeepers who say there is no evidence.
Gamekeepers also feel that if no deterrents were available, it would make it increasingly difficult to protect rare chicks from mobbing ravens.
While farmers can obtain licences from SNH to protect lambs, there is currently little mood to adapt approaches to protect ground-nesting birds from ravens by issuing removal licences.
SGA chairman Alex Hogg said: “The SGA consistently advocates that land managers need legal tools to be able to manage during times when there are conflicts between species.
“Because licences to protect ground nesting birds are rarely obtained, people have to look at all legal options if they want to protect any economic stock, which is their job, and the other moorland species that home there, such as curlew, that are rapidly disappearing.
“Flocks of ravens can hoover up chicks and eggs. There may be enough grouse on a moor to be able to sustain such losses but that is not the case any more with wading birds.
“If someone did want to apply for a licence to SNH to control them, they would have to prove that they have used all non-lethal alternatives first; alternatives such as these.
“In our view, land managers should be encouraged to deploy deterrents, such as gas guns and scarers, to move ravens on, rather than being criticised.”
Conservation charities say Hen Harriers could potentially be disturbed by gas guns, causing them to attempt to breed elsewhere.
However, gamekeepers believe this is mischief making.
Perthshire Gamekeeper and SGA Committee member, Ronnie Kippen, said: “Gas guns are not placed anywhere near Schedule 1 (protected) birds’ nests and there is no evidence of disruption of nesting Harriers or other raptors.
"Farmers have been using them for decades. If there was any problems, the raptors would be gone.
“If ospreys can nest at T-in-the-Park, with all the noise of a music festival and peregrines nest in town bell towers, it shows that raptors become de-sensitised to noise.
“Where I work, we use gas guns to protect black grouse and golden plover chicks from ravens.
“Even then, they only work until the ravens get used to them. We’ve tried everything, shots in the air, shots off rocks in isolated areas, scarers and varying the frequency of bangs on the gas gun but flocks of ravens still come in and inflict damage.
"It’s very difficult to deal with, so people need legal tools to work around rare wildlife.”
Arguably the most intelligent of native British birds, the raven's supposed cunning and wily nature has led to it becoming steeped in myth, legend, folklore, and history of which perhaps the most commonly known superstition is its association with the Tower of London and the security of the Crown.
Ravens are also often referred to as the bird of omen or the emissary of messages from on high to foretell the outcome of important events.
In the Bible a raven was sent out from Noah's ark to find signs of land but did not return.
