Kerry you will find that there are members on here the same as a lot of sites that are open to debate and there are some with closed minds that just will not let any other opinion in.
Personally I think there are some in the RSPB that are so closed in their mindset to introducing and protecting some raptors that they will take no heed of others point of view, just the same as in the pigeon world, as soon as some members lose a bird they blame the hawks, when although they maybe right there are other factors, I have flown Harris hawks, red tail kites and various owls which all have a part to play in nature
But there are plain and simple truths that all sides must take on board
1. The RSPB do not protect all birds they select certain birds to fund breeding and release programmes, any other bird outside their interests are ignored or even destroyed to protect their investments yet the same avenues are not open to anyone else
2, The more raptors we have the more food they will need and as their staple diet is other birds then it goes without saying :-/
3, There are numerous documented and photographic evidence that these raptors take racing pigeons both good and bad not only from returning from a race but from the tops of our lofts or while out flying for the day yet we are not allowed to protect our interests
3, Pigeon racing is on the decline for various reasons including social and economic and also the raptor problem so these birds of prey will have even less to feed on so the other bird populations will suffer
4, Not only pigeons are taken but there is also evidence that aviary birds are attacked as well including finches, budgies and canaries having their heads ripped off by sparrow hawks through the wire caging
5, Raptors are only behaving naturally they are killing and feeding to survive it is man that create the imbalance in the world by over protecting certain species thus creating the imbalance, if the urban jungle and changes in our environment are changing then why breed and protect more raptors that the country cannot sustain :-/