Furthermore an article of some interest – and hope.

Whatever, classifying anything with complex dynamics there are many caveats to any conclusions and it turns out that cats can have an effect on populations – particularly if a species has reached a critical extinction threshold as is the case with many bird species across the globe where humans have introduced numerous adverse developments; pesticides, habitat fragmentation, pollution, building developments etc.

Here in the UK the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) is on the case.

Predation of small birds by birds of prey is another factor often overlooked by those quick to blame cats. The population of the Sparrow-hawk was doing well and I have photographic evidence of a male (with Starling) and female (with Ring Collard Dove) caught in the act. I had noted a number of other similar corpses from time to time – typically a spread of feathers, with in the case of the male with Starlings the head ripped off – evidently if not killed quick the dying Starling makes a foul tasting secretion which puts the hawk off its breakfast.

Thanks for this article Greg and the link to an another interesting web site in 1000birds.com.