Investigating bird traps

As part of our shooting investigations, we've also filmed wild birds being imprisoned in traps and used as 'live decoys'. We've filmed such traps at five locations in England and Wales.

Help fund our work

In 2025, Animal Aid investigators found a crow and magpies confined at Bryn Coch Game Farm in Powys, Wales.

In 2021, at The Norfolk Estate in West Sussex, an injured bird was being used as a ‘decoy’ and his water bowl had frozen over.

In 2018, we filmed two Larsen traps at Bonson Wood Game Farm in Somerset. Our findings were covered in the Independent.

Earlier in 2018, also in Somerset, Animal Aid investigators found rooks left in cage traps without water or a perch. One bird was injured.

Heart of England Game Farm

In 2017, we found birds trapped without access to water, and a Larsen trap illegally baited with a live red-legged partridge at Heart of England in Warwick.

Take action

Pheasants and partridges aren’t the only birds who suffer at the hands of the shooting industry. Learn more about our work to ban bird traps.

We need your help to reframe how animals are perceived by society. By ordering and sharing our free resources in your local community you'll be encouraging others to support animal freedom.

Support our campaign to ban shooting and speak up for the millions of birds who are shot every year - for fun. You'll also find a matching tote bag in the Animal Aid shop!