Sir, – Your advice to the Green Party (Opinion, May 15 edition), about the need for them to take seriously the issue of killing lambs by sea eagles and predation of ground nesting birds by badgers and foxes, is well made.

However, it is not just the Green Party which needs to address these disasters that are so affecting the country, but all political parties should openly support policies which will help to redress the imbalance currently in force.

How long will it be before we no longer hear the beautiful song of the skylark, or the distinctive shrill of the lapwing?

While badgers are allowed to proliferate and expand their territory. these ground-nesting birds stand little chance of surviving, let alone rearing any young. Badgers, foxes and sea eagles account for just a part of the growing army of predators which have caused this imbalance between prey and predator to widen so much.

Until governments are prepared to stand up and address these growing concerns, through reviewing the protected status of some avian and mammal species, as well as actively supporting predator control through agri-environment schemes, the dire situation in the countryside is only going to get worse.

Three factors must be in balance to sustain a healthy songbird and wader population: food, habitat and predation. At SongBird Survival, we strive to 'save songbirds with science' and to find win-win solutions, regardless of which party is in power.

Our ongoing cat and pesticides research are cases in point.

Colin Strang Steel

Chairman SongBird Survival,

Threepwood,

Galashiels.