Press release

Government to cull magpies: myths busted

The Government are not culling magpies or crows.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Published: 31 January 2011

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

The Myth: The Sunday Times reported that the Government is looking to cull vast numbers of magpies and crows because they are to blame for the decline of songbirds.

The Truth: The Government are not culling magpies or crows.  We are aware that songbirds are in decline and the best way to protect these birds is to provide the right habitat for them. That’s exactly what agri-environment schemes, such as Environmental Stewardship, aim to deliver.

Published 31 January 2011