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| Devon butterfly supplier advised 'wringing' birds' necks | |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| A butterfly supplier who advocated illegally wringing birds' necks has been branded "outrageous" by the RSPB. | A butterfly supplier who advocated illegally wringing birds' necks has been branded "outrageous" by the RSPB. |
| Information on the Devon Butterflies website advised customers to kill various garden birds if they threatened butterfly breeding. | Information on the Devon Butterflies website advised customers to kill various garden birds if they threatened butterfly breeding. |
| Tony Whitehead, from the RSPB, said the birds were protected and the website was "advising people to break the law". | Tony Whitehead, from the RSPB, said the birds were protected and the website was "advising people to break the law". |
| A company spokesman said the information "should have been labelled a tip" rather than as advice. | A company spokesman said the information "should have been labelled a tip" rather than as advice. |
| The website said the way to deal with blue or great tits that might peck holes in moth and butterfly breeding sleeves was to "catch them and wring their necks". | The website said the way to deal with blue or great tits that might peck holes in moth and butterfly breeding sleeves was to "catch them and wring their necks". |
| It also suggested putting out mousetraps to catch robins, wrens and blackbirds. | It also suggested putting out mousetraps to catch robins, wrens and blackbirds. |
| Mr Whitehead said the message was "unambiguous" and described it as "absolutely outrageous". | Mr Whitehead said the message was "unambiguous" and described it as "absolutely outrageous". |
| "It's pretty simple really. All these birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. | "It's pretty simple really. All these birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. |
| "He's suggesting killing birds and you just cannot recommend to do this in a civilised society," he said. | "He's suggesting killing birds and you just cannot recommend to do this in a civilised society," he said. |
| PC Josh Marshall, who tweeted a screen grab of the page pointing out that the advice was illegal, said the website had been brought to his attention by a member of the public. | PC Josh Marshall, who tweeted a screen grab of the page pointing out that the advice was illegal, said the website had been brought to his attention by a member of the public. |
| "I've had a massive amount of feedback about this - he's basically advocating killing wild birds. These birds mentioned aren't pest species, they're fully protected," he said. | "I've had a massive amount of feedback about this - he's basically advocating killing wild birds. These birds mentioned aren't pest species, they're fully protected," he said. |
| "I'm looking into the matter to see if an offence has been committed and I'll certainly be visiting him to give him some advice and ask whether he has already killed any birds." | "I'm looking into the matter to see if an offence has been committed and I'll certainly be visiting him to give him some advice and ask whether he has already killed any birds." |
| A spokesperson from Butterfly Conservation said it had no affiliation with Devon Butterflies and wished to make it clear that they could not disagree more strongly with the advice given. | A spokesperson from Butterfly Conservation said it had no affiliation with Devon Butterflies and wished to make it clear that they could not disagree more strongly with the advice given. |
| The page has since been removed from the Devon Butterflies website. | The page has since been removed from the Devon Butterflies website. |