buzzards and hares

round tower huntsman

was on land today that always used to hold hares, but there was ner a lupas to be seen. what i did see was plenty of buzzards. talking to a huntsman along the border and they have also seen less hares,alot less,since the buzzards arrived.
im all for releasing birds of prey but can it have negative effects on native game numbers??

whyulittle

Buzzards weren't released, they've re-colonised by themselves.

Incidentally, I've seen absolutey loads of hares in an area that also contains Buzzards.

OpenYourEyes

round tower huntsman wrote: »

what i did see was plenty of buzzards.

Would you mind elaborating?

round tower huntsman

they were released bout 15 yrs ago in tyrone in believe and have slowly made their way south. i stand to be corrected,im no expert. now i do know the land i walk and i used to see many hares and they've been getting less and less while i see buzzards all the time,more and more.
other man have said the same.
and im not anti buzzard just wondering peoples opinion on it.

round tower huntsman

what im asking is are buzzards having a negative effect on hare populations in other areas?

whyulittle

But negative to who? They are a native bird, so any effect they have is a natural one.

round tower huntsman

fair point.
anyone else notice that more buzzards = less hares, just curious like.

Birdnuts

round tower huntsman wrote: »

fair point.
anyone else notice that more buzzards = less hares, just curious like.

Weather, habitat and poaching are the main factors that affect Hare numbers. For example the Curragh have very few hares now thanx to a certain type of minority with dogs that hunt them out of season when the young are very vulnerable. In contrast, Dublin Airport is alive with Hares and also has a big population of buzzards. The same is true of Casement Aerodrome going on what I hear from a M8 that works there.

Birdnuts

round tower huntsman wrote: »

what im asking is are buzzards having a negative effect on hare populations in other areas?

Going on the plucking post I've come across, the main prey items for buzzards in these parts are rabbits, rodents, crows and the odd grey squirrel.

PS: Theres been no notable change in Hare numbers in these parts since Buzzards recolonised about 10 years ago

round tower huntsman

good points there. just looking for opinions.

Birdnuts

round tower huntsman wrote: »

they were released bout 15 yrs ago in tyrone in believe and have slowly made their way south. i stand to be corrected,im no expert. .

No - they became extinct in Ireland in the 1880's and then returned naturally having initially recolonised Co. Antrim in the 1930's. Its been a slow spread across the country since then:)

Birdnuts

round tower huntsman wrote: »

good points there. just looking for opinions.

No problem bud - there are alot of myths out there as regards the Ecology of native raptors and their affects on other species, so threads like this are a usefull tool in informing people on such matters:)

Traonach

Irish hares are in serious decline owing to changed farming practices and patterns of land use, but their persecution for sport has also had a major impact. The Ulster Wildlife Trust has warned that hare hunting and coursing: "may prove to be the final straw for some of the more isolated populations." In an article on 23 May 2005, the Irish Independent placed the Irish hare alongside the corncrake and the marsh fritillary butterfly as species under severe threat in Ireland. In Northern Ireland a Special Protection Order was in force until 31 March 2008 banning the killing, taking, sale or purchase of Irish hares. Such protection will continue to be necessary until there is greater assurance about the stability and sustainability of the population.

http://www.hare-preservation-trust.co.uk/irish.html

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Firstly, Buzzards were neither released nor re-introduced. Secondly, they have no impact on Hare numbers, although they have a proven impact on Rabbits. Hare numbers have been falling for many years now and the taking of them at the moment, for coursing, is not helping. Neither is the application of the label of "game" to them, as the OP did. Changed farming methods and so called Sport have been the cause of the reduction in numbers of this iconic Irish species.

Traonach

round tower huntsman wrote: »

was on land today that always used to hold hares, but there was ner a lupas to be seen. what i did see was plenty of buzzards. talking to a huntsman along the border and they have also seen less hares,alot less,since the buzzards arrived.
im all for releasing birds of prey but can it have negative effects on native game numbers??

What other native game species are you concerned about?

trebor28

round tower huntsman wrote: »

was on land today that always used to hold hares, but there was ner a lupas to be seen. what i did see was plenty of buzzards. talking to a huntsman along the border and they have also seen less hares,alot less,since the buzzards arrived.
im all for releasing birds of prey but can it have negative effects on native game numbers??

might there have been an increase in the number of foxes in the area also?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I suspect he means anything he can shoot!

Some people want predators that only prey on species nobody wants to hunt.:rolleyes: Hence some of the recent poisoning of Bussards et al.