Bird killer in Brisbane

Bird killer in Brisbane

A bird killer in Brisbane has been poisoning prey with chemical-laced meat.

The killer is believed to have poisoned 68 birds, including 50 magpies and 16 crows.

Royal Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals spokesman Michael Beatty said he was shocked by the scale of the poisoning campaign, which was the worst he had seen.

"I've not seen anything on this scale," Beatty said.

"There are lots of cases where a few birds have been poisoned but not an ongoing campaign like this and certainly not on this scale."

Scores of dead or paralysed birds have been found on green spaces within blocks of each other.

Pelican Seabird Rescue vice-president Natalie Forrest, who is caring for five surviving magpies, said she was sickened by the parade of carcasses that also included a black-faced cuckoo shrike, a flying fox and a mouse.

"It's totally unnecessary and very cruel," Forrest said.

"It's an absolutely terrible sort of cruelty and I would like to see the offender found and punished appropriately. I have never seen anything like it.

"Yes we have seen poisoning but it's usually a one-off event. This has been very deliberate now for six months."

If found, the killer could face a fine of up to $100,000 or two years in jail, depending on the relevant law.

Source: couriermail.com.au

Images: brisbanetimes.com.au

Published Nov 20 2011