Fanatic Germans wage “blitzkrieg” on crows

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madmikesamerica.com — A group of fanatic bird killers in Germany known as "the Crowbusters" has been waging a war on the birds with military-grade weapons and crusader-like zeal. (Getty Images)

These folks are the “Crowbusters,” a group of bird-killing fanatics in Germany that dresses in paramilitary gear and uses military-grade weapons to kill as many crows as possible, reports Der Spiegel.

The reason for the massive attacks on crows, according to the Crowbusters, is that crows are “feathered vermin” and “crap-scratchers” that have grown too populous, crowding out and killing other creatures, such as rabbits and partridges. Just one hunt in northwestern Germany brought down 333 birds; another in Bavaria saw 316 killed.

Environmentalists are outraged, as are many regular hunters. Crows tend to fly in mixed flocks, so other species are inevitably hit in the Crowbusters’ massacres, including protected species. The Crowbusters’ main justification for their attacks, about the dangers posed by the crows, is just untrue, say bird and nature experts: One 2005 study in which 12,000 crows were killed found that the elimination did nothing to help other species, whose populations have actually been harmed by agriculture and other predators. “I’ve never experienced such feverish hunting of a particular species, not even when it comes to foxes,” said one member of an ecological hunting association.

These large-scale killing sprees are even too much for some conservative hunters. Harry Neumann, a local BUND representative, convinced Klaus Skowronek, the head of a hunting club in the western German Westerwald mountains, to no longer allow the Crowbusters to hunt in the region. “As far as we’re concerned, this area is now a no-go,” Skowroneky says, adding that he finds “crow pingpong distressing.”

Even the conservative German Hunting Association (DJV) has recently decided that the “excesses” and “questionable images” associated with the Crowbusters’ actions could hurt the image of hunting in general. In late February, the association plans to address the problem of these marauding crow killers.

What makes this report even more disturbing is it harks back to the legendary passenger pigeon, a species that was completely eradicated during the 19th century by Americans. If the crow slaughter is allowed to continue Germany may see the entire population of crows collapse, and that would be a tragedy indeed.

Many thanks to ABC News and Newser for parts of this story.

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Professor Mike

Professor Mike is a left-leaning, dog loving, political junkie. He has written dozens of articles for Substack, Medium, Simily, and Tribel. Professor Mike has been published at Smerconish.com, among others. He is a strong proponent of the environment, and a passionate protector of animals. In addition he is a fierce anti-Trumper. Take a moment and share his work.

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