73 Eurasian Coots; 1 Hoary-headed Grebe; 1 Whistling Kite; 3 Black Swans; 6 Freckled Ducks = 84 protected species.
8 Grey Teal; 1 Hardhead; 1 Pacific Black Duck; 1 Pink-eared Duck = 11 game species.
These are the birds that were displayed outside the Premier’s office on Tuesday, 21/5. You will notice that many more protected birds are being shot and left behind than game species. Are shooters taking home their game birds? Are there fewer game species, hence the slaughter of everything else?
It’s certainly been a terrible season for the humble coot. Seventy-three were found at one wetland last weekend; 71 a couple of weeks ago; approximately 8 wounded coots were taken to local vets.
Observers at wetlands near Stawell saw shooters firing into groups of coots on the water when a game bird was in their midst. Shooters were even observed in a ‘tinnie’ (boat) ploughing into groups of coot. Two coots were later found with sheared-off wings.
Eurasian Coots aren’t game. Shooting into flocks is illegal. Shooting on the water is dangerous and stupid. What more can be said?
Why are so many protected species being shot? It’s blindingly obvious: because they can be. Compliance officers number only five in the entire state, and none have been seen on the main wetland regions since opening morning.
In fact, on opening and closing weekends, DPI staff have to recruit from among Parks Victoria and DSE staff, supplemented by Victoria Police. All concentrate on fining rescuers for offences such as blowing whistles, ‘hindering’ hunters and the nonsense that is ‘failure to despatch’ wounded birds.
Hunters stuff live birds into bags, hang live birds up on their belts, and gut birds while still alive, but no hunter has ever been charged with an offence under the Victorian Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
A selection of photos is on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/94330342@N04/ One photo is particularly shocking. It shows a ‘harvested’ Pink-eared Duck. What little flesh there is on this little bird has been scalped off the breast; then it’s simply dumped.
If you feel so inclined, please write to Daniel Andrews, Leader of the Opposition. We have to convince the Labor Party to change its policy on duck shooting, and/or hope that the Greens will hold the balance of power in the next Victorian Parliament.
daniel.andrews@parliament.vic.gov.au
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I suspect it’s more a case of coots not being good to shoot. They tend to stay on the water, or to fly low above it, so they wouldn’t present the nice overhead target that ducks give. It seems they’re legal game in the USA, but that species might fly high more readily.
Peter Shute
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Maybe – as theoretically the shooting is for food (!) – a coot is not too good to eat?
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I think you are looking at it the wrong way Jeremy. As you said, You should be asking why some species are allowed to be hunted? Are they so overpopulated etc? There’s nothing that i know of about a Coot that makes it special – its the same as the majority of other species that aren’t on the “allowed to hunt” list. The default position (thankfully) is that all species of birds are protected – except for a small number of permitted ones. Why they aren’t protected is indeed the question! Cheers Dave
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Hi folks, Probably been asked before, but…………. has BirdLife Australia (to which most of us belong) considered taking this whole sordid affair up with the relevant authorities?? One of the ideas behind amalgamating Birds AUS and Bocca was to give us an organisation that could give us a strong, recognised voice in all things relating to bird conservation……. is this not so?!!
Regards, Peter Madvig
If anyone wants to know what’s required to legally shoot ducks in Victoria, I’m happy to go into a quiet huddle about this off-forum. You need several pieces of paper. I don’t think it’s a terribly useful subject for Birding-aus.
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Ok, so then why are some duck species allowed to be hunted? What is it about coots that means they weren’t put on the list of birds that can be hunted? Is it a low population thing, or something else?
Jeremy
On 23 May 2013 22:27, wildlifeexperiences@gmail.com < wildlifeexperiences@gmail.com> wrote:
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Jeremy, All native species of birds are protected in Victoria with permits being required to capture, tag, shoot or otherwise. In regards to capture and tag, researchers need animal ethics approval before DEPI (Dept of Environment and Primary Industries – formerly DSE) will issue a research permit. Game shooters need a gun licence and do the duck id test, while those culling cockies etc need to apply to depi for a permit to cull a set number.
Yours in all things “green”
John Harris Croydon, Vic Owner – Wildlife Experiences Ecologist/Zoologist Nature Photographer Wildlife Guide wildlifeexperiences@gmail.com 0409090955
President, Field Naturalists Club of Victoria (www.fncv.org.au)
This might be a silly question, but why are coots protected? Is it because of population numbers, or because historically they’re not eaten? Or some othere reason?
Jeremy
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I saw a doco a while ago about the Marsh Arabs who seasonally collected E. Coots for their winter protein to supplement fish so they must be quite edible rather than waste. Cheers Chris
With three weeks of the season to go, Coalition Against Duck Shooting rescuers have retrieved fully 224 dead coots and taken 30 wounded coots to veterinary care. If you find this unacceptable, please write to the Premier, your local state MP, and the shadow Opposition Leader, Daniel Andrews.
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In the Victoria Police firearm safety test, you must show your understanding of the ten basic rules. No. 9 is ‘Never fire at hard surfaces or water.’ It’s common sense. You can’t control shotgun pellets that ricochet off the water, so you’re putting people, property and the wrong birds at risk.
Two years ago, an activist nearly lost an eye when a teenage shooter shot too low, resulting in pellets bouncing off the water. They scatter haphazardly.
Re coots. Witnesses saw groups of coots shot on the water several times.
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About fifty years ago, a duck shooter told me that Coots, Swamphens and Dusky Moorhens were ‘rubbish birds’ which he shot all year round ‘to keep his dog keen’. Besides, they were eating duck food, so if they were removed there would be more ducks… I doubt if opinions have changed.
Anthea Fleming
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They aren’t supposed to shoot at game birds on the water, are they, whether they’re in a flock or not. Do you think this kind of thing accounts for most of the coot deaths, or are people just shooting at coots?
Peter Shute
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