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.
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But some 14 bird species on the list of 21 legally allowed to be shot were rated of national conservation concern in 2019, while 15 are amber or red listed by BirdWatch Ireland.
Birds being killed for sport include red listed red grouse, pintails, shovelers and golden plovers as well as amber listed gadwalls, snipes, pochards and goldeneyes which can all be killed throughout the state.
Birdwatch Ireland say they are “very concerned with the declining populations of several of the species on the Open Seasons Order list”.
Its head of advocacy, Oonagh Duggan, told us: “Successive governments have overseen the frittering away of our wild bird populations and then declared a Biodiversity Emergency.
“It’s time for the current government to turn the ship around or our countryside will grow even more silent.
“Critically, the government has a golden opportunity if it supports a strong EU Nature Restoration Law and backs this with the required investment.
“We know the most serious pressures and threats to these species come from loss and degradation of habitat from sectoral policies including agricultural intensification, afforestation and peat cutting,” she added.
“All pressures and threats must be addressed though to give these species a chance of population recovery.”
Padraic Fogarty from Irish Wildlife said: “It is a mystery to us as to why continued shooting of these [birds] is permitted.”
We asked the department if those shooting birds through Open Seasons Orders have to prove how many they are killing so officials can monitor species in line with biodiversity concerns.
A spokesperson told us: “Currently people who shoot species under licence don’t have to keep numbers.
“As birds are shot under the Open Seasons Order that provides for hunting without requiring a specific licence no details of birds shot are provided.”
Social Democratic Deputy Jennifer Whitmore said: “It makes absolutely no sense for the Minister to be signing off on licences to shoot birds that are red listed and at risk of extinction... without any understanding of the impact on the population, the numbers that are being killed and the potential damage is it causing to these species.
“It’s wholly irresponsible when we are the in the middle of a biodiversity crisis.
“The Minister should be using the precautionary principle here and that means that in the absence of all this information, he should not... [be] allocating licences and protecting the birds.
“His policies need to be evidence based, they need to be based on science and ecology and driven by data - and he’s not even collecting the data.”
The Wicklow TD asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will exclude bird species of concern that is, red and amber listed from the 2023-2024 open season hunting list and if he will make a statement on the matter in December.
A departmental spokesperson responded: “The National Parks and Wildlife Service working group for the review of birds on the Open Seasons Order has met six times, the result of which is the commencement of a public consultation on the Review which opened for submissions today 22 March 2023 and will conclude on 3 May 2023.
“The responses to the public consultation will be analysed and will inform recommendations to me.
“This will include recommendations on short, medium and long-terms actions concerning the management of the Open Seasons Order for birds.”
Minister Malcolm Noonan launched a public consultation on the review of the Open Seasons Order for birds in March, which closed on May 3.
It is hoped the review will result in proposals to ensure the hunting of species is sustainable in line with Ireland’s obligations to safeguard threatened bird species and “principles of wise use” under the EU Birds Directive,
Minister Noonan said the “public consultation follows a commitment I made to have dialogue with stakeholders as part of the review on the Open Season Orders”.
“While Government-led efforts and initiatives to protect birds have intensified and are significant, so too is the challenge of reversing declines in threatened bird species and other habitats and species,” he added.
“Despite more than 30 years of effort to protect and conserve biodiversity under the EU Birds and Habitats Directives, the latest assessments under these Directives show declining trends in the conservation status of some of our most threatened species.
“We must make every effort to protect our birds and, in line with our EU counterparts, it is appropriate that we consider the role of hunting activities in this context.
“Our aim is to continue to restore and preserve the conservation status of vulnerable bird species, and in the context of hunting and the Open Seasons Order, to support sustainable hunting practices.
“We must also develop better processes for data collection and periodic review of the Open Seasons Order.
“This must be collaborative, and based on scientific evidence.”
The National Parks and Wildlife Service is now analysing available data in order to inform decisions on the retention or removal of species, or to the amendment of the open season for particular species.
It is also seeking to set out other short, medium and long-term actions needed to meet Birds Directive obligations and ensure the sustainability of the Open Seasons Order.
Gary McCartney, Director of Countryside Alliance Ireland said: “We are supportive of any review that can help bring stakeholders round the table to work collaboratively on increasing bird populations.
“However, removing species off the Open Order may be counterproductive. Walking alone causes 100 times more disturbance than wildfowling and climate change remains the biggest contributing factor in the reduction of birds.
“It is disingenuous for NPWS to claim otherwise and sadly only divides the countryside when we should all be working together.
“The Wildfowler community are active conservationists that undertake year-round projects which massively help a number of species to flourish. Any birds shot are harvested sustainably.”
The National Association of Regional Game Councils was also contacted for comment.
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