The Government department that allows the shooting of red and amber listed birds in Ireland has no idea how many are being killed, we can reveal.
Each year, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage licences hunters to shoot a range of wild birds through the Open Seasons Order.
Shooting periods differ according to species throughout September, October, December and January with the shooting of some species prohibited in some areas of the state, like Wildfowl sanctuaries.
