The RSPB published this:
Why songbirds might be affected by magpies
Most British members of the crow family (including magpies) will take eggs and nestlings. This can be upsetting to witness but it is completely natural. However, some people are concerned that there may be a long-term effect on songbird populations.
To find out why songbirds are in trouble, the RSPB has undertaken intensive research on species such as the skylark and song thrush. To discover whether magpies could be to blame for the decline, the RSPB commissioned the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) to analyse its 35 years of bird monitoring records.
The study found that songbird numbers were no different in places where there were many magpies from where there are few. It found no evidence that increased numbers of magpies have caused declines in songbirds and confirms that populations of prey species are not determined by the numbers of their predators. Availability of food and suitable nesting sites are probably the main factors limiting songbird populations.
Blogger: this is wrong! It is badly wrong and is the reason why I quit the RSPB many years ago.
I have monitored our local songbirds over decades and have watched magpies increase exponentially from a tiny handful in our postcode to thousands.
On my daily walks - the sound of birdsong has plummeted from the level of orchestral majesty to a discordant melody by a scattered tin whistle trio.
How is it that Songbird Survival recognises the problem and the RSPB does not?
It may well be that the problem is recognised but the RSPB is far too nice to demand the much-needed cull.
