A question for your MP: How many birds does the RSPB have?

Ahead of yet another Commons debate orchestrated by Wild Justice, the RSPB is mobilising its supporters to write to MPs demanding more regulation of grouse moors. But read their letter (below) closely and you’ll notice something missing: facts.

It’s a familiar formula - smears over science. Grouse moors, they claim, are crime scenes. If a bird disappears, it must have been shot by a gamekeeper. The RSPB knows the vast majority of raptors die of natural mortality in their first year, but that never gets mentioned. Instead, just guilt by association. And under the licensing system they want, a gamekeeper could lose their job on nothing more than suspicion.

That’s not regulation. It’s a direct assault on natural justice.

And it’s no coincidence. This campaign isn’t really about birds - it’s about deflection. The RSPB’s Chief Executive, Beccy Speight, knows full well that the charity’s own reserves aren’t delivering anything like the bird numbers seen on managed grouse moors. But instead of answering for that, the RSPB is lashing out at the people who are delivering results.

Because here’s what the RSPB won’t say:

1. It has not published its reserve bird counts for 13 years.

2. Yet it has received nearly £2 billion in income in that time.

3. It receives £16 million in public funding every year.

4. It’s CEO takes home £250,000 annually.

5. And yet the RSPB refuse to tell the public how many birds they’ve got.

Why?

Because they know the truth: grouse moors are the most successful bird habitats in Britain. We have booming populations of curlew, lapwing, golden plover and more - all supported by legal, targeted predator control, openly acknowledged and backed by decades of science. Including RSPB science.

And what about the hen harrier? The RSPB once made it their mascot for crisis fundraising. But now that the population has increased by over 1,150%, according to its own scientists, they’ve gone silent. Why? Because solved problems don’t bring in donations.

This is the RSPB’s model: smear others, raise money, and never answer the hard questions.

So, let’s ask one: for £16 million of taxpayers’ money each year, how many birds does the RSPB have on its 226 reserves?

If their records are so good, why are they hiding them?

We suspect many of their reserves are ecological sinks (more birds fly in than make it out) because the RSPB refuses to control the predators that threaten endangered species. They want everyone else regulated but won’t accept scrutiny themselves.

So let’s have proper conservation regulation - with rules that say if you want public money, you must publish your bird numbers.

It’s also time for a Defra-funded, independent study of bird populations across England’s uplands. Grouse moor managers would back it. Presumably the RSPB would too - if it has nothing to hide.

Because deep down, they know: we have the birds. They have the PR team.

So write to your MP today. And ask them to ask one very simple question of the Environment Secretary: How many birds does the RSPB have?

👉 Find your MP

Below is a series of points you might also wish to raise with them. For more details please see the full reports here and here.

Economic & Rural Jobs

1. Driven grouse shooting contributes up to £121 million annually to the economy in England (in years when shooting takes place).

2. Supports full-time and seasonal jobs in remote areas, with 58 moors alone paying out £1.7 million to casual staff.

3. Estates spend over £7.4 million yearly on contractors, keeping rural businesses alive - even in non-shooting years.

4. Attracts high-spending UK and international visitors, especially outside peak tourist seasons.

5. Helps support essential rural infrastructure like housing, roads, and fencing.

Environmental & Biodiversity Gains

1. UK grouse moors best protect and maintain some 75% of the world’s heather moorland, a globally rare habitat.

2. Grouse moors have 29% of upland SSSIs - almost double what’s expected by area, because we have best protected these places.

3. Predator control boosts endangered bird species - 53% of England’s curlews and 42% of lapwings nest on grouse moors.

4. Mountain hares, raptors, and invertebrates benefit from managed habitats.

5. Tick and bracken control reduces disease risks for people, pets, and livestock.

6. Grouse moors cover over 1 million acres - helping meet England’s 30 by 30 biodiversity goals.

Land Management & Climate Resilience

1. Year-round gamekeeping helps prevent wildfires via controlled burning and training fire crews.

2. Peatland restoration on moors reduces carbon emissions and helps store carbon.

3. Water management (e.g. ditch blocking) helps prevent downstream flooding.

4. Disease control for grouse is science-led and contributes to ecosystem balance.

Social, Health & Cultural Value

1. Proven mental and physical health benefits from outdoor activity and social engagement.

2. Builds strong rural communities - many estates sponsor local events and infrastructure.

3. Preserves rural heritage; participation often passed through generations.

4. Supports public access to moorlands for walking, birdwatching and other recreation.

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