Stop the hunting of grey herons: Protection of populations in Thuringia urgently needed

Associations are calling on the state government to immediately halt the hunting of grey herons.

The population situation of the grey heron in Thuringia is alarming. Following the abolition of the year-round closed season for the grey heron in 2004, breeding populations in Thuringia have declined by 66%. Since then, an average of 487 grey herons are shot annually across the state by hobby hunters, which corresponds to approximately 43% of the average breeding population over the past 20 years.

In a joint letter to Thuringia's Environment Minister Tilo Kummer, the Thuringian Ornithologists' Association, NABU Thuringia, and GRÜNE LIGA Thuringia are now calling on the state government to end the senseless killing of grey herons and to amend the state hunting law accordingly.

“The results of the monitoring of rare breeding bird species in Thuringia demonstrate that the unregulated hunting of the grey heron in Thuringia has led to a sharp decline in the breeding population. Only half remains of the grey heron population, which normally stands at around 1,000 breeding pairs in Thuringia,” states the Thuringian Ornithologists' Association. “Of the grey herons that remain, approximately half are shot each year. In extreme years, this means that every breeding pair loses one partner, who is then missing for reproduction.”

The culling that continues to take place in Thuringia has, since 2020, once again led to severe population declines despite mild winters. According to the associations, it is questionable whether immigration from other federal states can compensate for these losses.

Martin Schmidt, the state chairman of NABU Thuringia, criticizes:

Species such as the grey heron, which are protected under the Federal Nature Conservation Act, should not be hunted. In Thuringia, attempts are being made to justify hunting the grey heron by claiming serious damage to the regional landscape. However, this is not supported by any studies or figures on economic damage in the fishing industry. Instead of killing grey herons, they should be seen as helpers for agriculture. After all, they also consume numerous mice, which are considered pests in agriculture and are otherwise often controlled with poison.

Grey herons feed primarily on fish and amphibians near bodies of water. However, they also eat mice, insects, and earthworms, among other things. They themselves are hunted mainly because of their appetite for fish. Grit Tetzel, the managing director of GRÜNE LIGA Thuringia, explains: “It is not the grey herons that are to blame for the shortage of fish in our waterways, but rather the fact that our waters are not in good condition. They lack proper water structure, and the connectivity of streams and rivers still needs to be improved. Then fish will once again find sufficient habitats, cover, and enough food to be able to reproduce undisturbed.”

According to the associations, the collapse of Thuringia's grey heron breeding population clearly demonstrates how recklessly hobby hunters treat nature. Instead of trying to solve problems with weapons, the state government should rather invest its efforts in the restoration of nature. If this does not happen, future generations will hardly be able to experience clean water, fresh air, healthy ecosystems, and impressive and important large bird species such as the grey heron.

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