Falcons fall to pigeon fanciers

By JO-MARIE BROWN

The Department of Conservation is outraged that New Zealand's threatened falcons are being shot at by pigeon owners trying to protect their pets.

Only 2000 falcons remain and DoC believes the carnivorous bird, depicted on New Zealand's $20 note, is being shot to stop them attacking pigeons when they come in search of food during winter.

Conservation officer Cam Speedy said falcons living in the Kaimanawa Ranges had been spotted in Taupo and Turangi lately and pigeons were easy pickings.

"I find it completely abhorrent that someone would kill a category B threatened species just to protect some scummy old domestic pigeon, of which there are thousands.

"It's very easy to replace a pigeon but it's very difficult to replace a falcon that's been killed by a pigeon fancier," Mr Speedy said.

Falcons have lived in New Zealand for more than 70 million years but their numbers plummeted last century when forests were cleared to make way for urban and rural development in low-lying areas.

The introduction of pesticides to wipe out grass grubs in the 1950s also affected falcons, which were at the top of the food chain and so consumed the poison.

Anyone caught killing the threatened species can be fined up to $10,000 under the Wildlife Act.

"Falcons are in a situation where, if there's some sort of catastrophic event like a disease, there could be a major decline and perhaps extinction in a relatively short time," Mr Speedy said.

"The fact that humans are popping them off because they lose a few pigeons exacerbates it."

People became emotionally attached to their pets, but Mr Speedy said the killing of falcons showed a lack of understanding and a disregard for New Zealand's unique biodiversity.

Matamata pigeon owner Don Holmes said he did not condone shooting falcons but knew some people did so.

"I know guys who have lost a lot of birds to falcons and, yes, they get out their guns and shoot them. It goes on all the time."

Mr Holmes, who has kept hundreds of pigeons over the past 12 years, said losing birds to predators was devastating.

"When you feed them and care for them, it's like losing a member of your family. It's a real trauma."

Mr Speedy said DoC wanted to hear from anyone who had sighted a falcon recently or knew people who were trying to shoot them.