Clarkson’s Plea to Save Birds

Jeremy Clarkson used his Sunday Times artcile to highlight the plight of birds around the British Isles, including the Isle of Man, as our feathered friends continue to die from avian flu.

The TV host, petrolhead and farmer is, surprisingly, a keen bird-watcher and used his column to argue for more measures to save birds.

Comparing avian flu to Covid, Clarkson said that ‘millions of geese, swans, fieldfares, short-eared owls and shovelers are arriving in the UK to replace all the swallows, swifts and warblers, which left at the end of summer’.

He added: ‘This means that up there in the big blue it is a never ending conveyor belt of endless migrating disease, misery and pestilence. And it’s worse now than at any other time in history.’

Clarkson says that 41 million hens have died in the United States since the virus was first identified in China less than 10 years ago.

He added: ‘Official figures say that this summer alone on the Isle of Man it’s killed a peregrine falcon and 200 seabirds. Twitchers there say the numbers are far higher. They talk of beaches that are carpeted in rotting corpses.’

Saying that he is a ‘weird’ for his obsession with birds, Clarkson said he fears entire species of birds being wiped out.

He added: ‘I wanted to believe hat the powers that be had a plan to make everything better. But I’ve just waded through a massive official report on the problem, and what it says is that protecting seabirds is a high priority for the government. Somehow, I seriously doubt that.’

On the Island

While we have records of a peregrine falcon dying, as well as over 200 seabirds, Clarkson’s comments of beaches being ‘carpeted in rotting corpses’ doesn’t seem to fit with the official position on the island.

Unlike the UK, there are currently no restrictions on bird keepers on the island. The most recent gov advice says: ‘DEFA are strongly advising that bird keepers should remain vigilant by practicing good biosecurity and they should reduce any contact wild birds may have with kept birds. If you are concerned your kept birds may have avian influenza please contact the Animal Health Team.’

Here is the rest of the gov’s advice.

What to do if you find a dead wild bird

If the bird is a single, small garden or wild bird then you do not need tocontact DEFA. You should leave it alone, or follow the guidelines below for disposal, see ‘If you have to move a dead bird’ guidelines below.

Do not touch or pick up any dead birds that your find, this is to protect yourself and any kept birds.
We would be grateful if the public would continue to report findings of either:
Two or more large waterfowl (such as swans or geese) found together and freshly dead
or
Six or more smaller birds found together and all freshly dead.

We may collect some of these birds and test them, please be aware not all birds will be collected. Wild birds are susceptible to a range of diseases and injuries and not all dead birds will have been infected with avian influenza. Please note the phone and emails are not being monitored outside of normal office hours so voice messages and emails will be picked up on the next working day.

Animal Health Team – Regulation Directorate
Thie Slieau Whallian,
Foxdale Road,
St John’s,
IM4 3AS

Telephone: +44 1624 685844
Email: agriculture@gov.im