I've been shooting PCP's for a few years now purely for the enjoyment of shooting. I've never had a reason to shoot anything living. I don't take it lightly and the only few times I've killed anything was when I was a kid and felt awful about it. I'm not opposed to the population that hunts ethically and eats their prey, and I even enjoy watching hunting videos of the people that I know are ethical about it. However, I don't hunt for food and I won't hunt just for the sake of killing for sport so I just don't hunt.
That being said, I put up the bird feeders at my new house for the first time this spring and woke up pleasantly to the sight of several different birds hanging out on the feeders, including a beautiful red Cardinal that I grew rather fond of seeing. Then all *(&^ broke loose as I watched a flock of maybe 50 starlings swoop in chasing off all the other birds, and began devouring all the food in the feeder. I took the LDC off the BSA R-10 and let it bark out the window to scare them off but when I got home from work, all three feeders were COMPLETELY empty and there weren't any birds in sight.
I googled the issue and was amazed at how awful these birds really are, invading the nests of native birds, killing them, destroying crops, bullying other species. I was shocked to see this video of a Starling actually attacking another bird nest and other video's and reports of how nasty they are.
https://youtu.be/00ybRPxIRsg
I've started to think of them less as birds and more as terrorists and am starting to feel like I would be taking out a "bad guy" that's just destined to do harm to others.
Anyone else ever face this moral dilemma? If I shoot them, it wouldn't be to eat them, it would be to protect the other nicer, native birds that otherwise have no defense against the starlings.
Constructive, rational opinions appreciated.
Thank you,
Cliff
That being said, I put up the bird feeders at my new house for the first time this spring and woke up pleasantly to the sight of several different birds hanging out on the feeders, including a beautiful red Cardinal that I grew rather fond of seeing. Then all *(&^ broke loose as I watched a flock of maybe 50 starlings swoop in chasing off all the other birds, and began devouring all the food in the feeder. I took the LDC off the BSA R-10 and let it bark out the window to scare them off but when I got home from work, all three feeders were COMPLETELY empty and there weren't any birds in sight.
I googled the issue and was amazed at how awful these birds really are, invading the nests of native birds, killing them, destroying crops, bullying other species. I was shocked to see this video of a Starling actually attacking another bird nest and other video's and reports of how nasty they are.
https://youtu.be/00ybRPxIRsg
I've started to think of them less as birds and more as terrorists and am starting to feel like I would be taking out a "bad guy" that's just destined to do harm to others.
Anyone else ever face this moral dilemma? If I shoot them, it wouldn't be to eat them, it would be to protect the other nicer, native birds that otherwise have no defense against the starlings.
Constructive, rational opinions appreciated.
Thank you,
Cliff