THE balanced view of song bird reduction is never wholly given by RSPB, an organisation which for decades has been reluctant to accept that raptors are responsible for the loss of our songbirds.

It is nonsense to continually blame landowners and change of habitat, as most farmers also love bird life and know more about the subject than many twitchers. There are other more serious factors known to the British Trust for Ornithology and Songbird Survival and which both organisations are actively involved in trying to prevent, e.g. song bird shooting on the continent and desecration of African wintering grounds.

BTO also blame, in part, the increased raptor population, cats and squirrels and other factors. A large number of their members are opposed to so many new breeding territories being set up for birds of prey.

For instance, may I ask Nick Christian and Robin Ward whether they support the setting up of a blow-fly infested peregrine nest box on the roof of Gloucestershire Royal Hospital?

Many twitchers would see no harm in this, and are known locally for their crazy cheering when a bird is seen to be killed flying to its own young in their nest near Symonds Yat rock.

And to Mr. Shaw who believes birds of prey don't kill their own species, check your facts sir, they do, especially in the nest.

On a separate note, it is mainly our rubbish that feeds the rats, gulls and town pigeons, helped by a few dear souls who love the birds despite the nuisance they cause, and will ever do so.

I love wild and aviary birds, but do not keep pigeons. However, my knowledge of the pigeon fancy allows me to say that a multitude of charitable causes receive financial support from the sport of pigeon racing, and perhaps the twitchers give likewise.

Mr. Harvey's letters are a fair representation of the pigeon fanciers' view, and if the other persons named would feel unhappy at thoughts of their much loved (and expensive) family pets being robbed from them to feed predators, then would they please spare a kind thought for the pigeon fancier and his hobby. – Dave Browning, Broadwell.