Birds Injured by Glue-Type Rodent Traps in Ireland

Wild birds are being caught and injured in glue-type traps often set for rodents, an Irish wildlife group has warned. Robin and starlings have been found stuck in traps. Glue boards are illegal in the Republic of Ireland, but not in Northern Ireland.

The starlings were "fully glued down" to a glue board and the robin got his wing caught and was dragging a sticky device around, unable to fly.

Calls for Ban on Glue Boards in Northern Ireland

A USPCA representative said glue boards were "inhumane and cruel" and called for a ban in Northern Ireland, which she said was "lagging behind".

Julie Cronin, founder of Wildlife Rescue Cork, has been rehabilitating injured birds alongside her team.

"We got a call from someone who had caught a robin and it was the first time I had seen such a structure - a hard sticky thing that looked like it could be stuck into the ground," she told NI.

"They're so feisty, robins, so he wasn't giving up without a fight," she added.

"The left wing was badly stuck to both sides. We tried coconut oil to get it off – but it's so fragile that would have caused a bone break.

"The bones in birds' wings are hollow and light, allowing them to fly so we did have to lose some feathers to get it off which he will regain, depending on how long he takes to moult," she explained.

"The problem with small birds is that they can die of stress."

However the good news is that the robin, who has been given pain relief, is "in great form" and Julie hopes he will be able to be released back into the wild within a few months.

The starlings were covered in glue after making their way into vents where a trap had been set and ended up "nearly cemented into it and were fully glued down" to a more traditional glue board.

The person who found them got in touch with Wildlife Rescue Cork. They had managed to release them with oil but their feathers were damaged.

Public Education and Humane Alternatives

When it comes to traps like these, Julie believes more education is needed for the public.

She said the traps are "not humane for any animal to die in".

Julie acknowledged there was a "difficult balance between rodent control and wildlife".

"People have the right to protect their properties - which we understand - but it's a fine balance between what is humane and appropriate," she said, adding there were more humane options.

Legal Status of Glue Traps in Ireland and the UK

Despite being banned from general use in the Republic of Ireland and some parts of the UK, the glue traps, which are commonly used to catch mice and rats, can still be widely found on sale.

In the Republic of Ireland glue traps are not part of the registered traps and snares that can be used in a legal manner under the Wildlife Act.

In England, while they are still on sale, setting a glue trap is illegal. However, they can be set legally by pest controllers with a glue trap licence.

In Scotland they are illegal with the exception of those who are "authorised".

In Wales there is a ban on them.

In Northern Ireland there is no restriction on their sale or use.

Calls for Greater Awareness

Sam Bayley, a conservation ranger with the Republic of Ireland's National Parks & Wildlife Service, told NI more awareness was needed.

"The animal still suffers if caught in this trap and is suffering needlessly and they're not selective so other things could get caught in that trap that aren't intended, as happened recently in Cork," he said.

"People just don't realise as they are legal in other places and if they see them for sale in a shop why would they think any otherwise?"

He said the Irish Pest Control Association could give advice on the correct methods to use.

USPCA Advocates Ban in Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, the USPCA wants to see an outright ban on such traps, saying they are "inhumane and cruel".

Nikkita Heywood said the images from Cork were "heartbreaking" and the USPCA has also come across trapped birds.

"We have had a robin brought in that was already passing away - it had broken bones and wings after a frantic struggle," she said.

"We are lagging behind here in Northern Ireland," she said.

"Any animal that falls victim to them can suffer. Garden birds struggle to the brink of exhaustion and can have a slow and painful death."

She said she had also seen hedgehogs, bats and even domestic animals like cats and dogs trapped by them.

She said while the glue traps are not illegal in NI, it is an offence to cause "unnecessary suffering or prolong...