The Strange World of Illegal Egg Collecting

Summary

The article discusses the illegal hobby of egg collecting in the UK, detailing its legal consequences and the story of a notorious egg collector named Daniel Lingham.

Abstract

The practice of egg collecting, once a legal hobby, has been outlawed in the UK due to the Protection of Birds Act of 1954 and the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981. Despite these laws, some enthusiasts continue to collect eggs illegally, risking hefty fines and imprisonment. The article recounts a visit to Hardwick Hall where the author encountered a Wildlife Officer who enlightened them about wildlife crime, particularly egg collecting. The author learned about the severity of this crime and its impact on local bird populations, as well as the story of Daniel Lingham, who was caught with thousands of eggs and served prison time. The article underscores the dedication of some collectors, despite the legal ramifications, and the role of social media in facilitating this illegal activity.

Opinions

The author initially had limited knowledge of wildlife crime but became deeply interested after a conversation with a Wildlife Officer.
The article suggests that the illegal collection of eggs is driven by obsession rather than mere silliness, as evidenced by the case of Daniel Lingham.
The author seems to be in favor of the legal protections for birds' eggs and is critical of the collectors' impact on wildlife, noting that some species have disappeared from certain areas due to over-collection.
There is a sense of surprise and irony in the description of how some collectors go to great lengths to hide their collections, such as in a secret compartment in a kitchen counter.
The author implies that social media has exacerbated the problem by allowing illegal egg collectors to connect and expand their activities.

The Strange World of Illegal Egg Collecting

The practice of egg collecting, otherwise known as ‘egging’ or the more mysterious sounding ‘oology’, is now illegal in many countries, but that hasn’t stopped some determined hobbyists, even when it results in injury or prison time.

This issue was brought to my attention when I visited a National Trust property in Derbyshire called Hardwick Hall in the Summer of 2019. It was a busy Saturday and scorching hot (by British standards, at least). I’d finished my tour of the estate and was making my way to the exit when I spotted a police officer standing by a table with a bear head draped over it. Curious, I made my way over to the stall and started chatting to the officer. The officer turned out to be a local Wildlife Officer who raised awareness of wildlife crime.

I’d never given any thought to wildlife crime, and before speaking to this officer, I think I’d struggle to come up with five examples of wildlife crimes off the top of my head. But I love learning. What was supposed to be a quick chat on my way to the car park turned into a 45-minute discussion where I bombarded him with questions.

In the UK, it is now impossible to legally collect wild birds eggs. People can hang on to the eggs they collected in the past, providing they collected them before 1954. This is due to a landmark 1954 legislation called the Protection of Birds Act and a 1981 legislation named Wildlife and Countryside Act, which put restrictions on collecting wild bird eggs. Despite government attempts to crack down on the practice, the illegal hobby of egg collecting continues to take place across the UK.

Anyone in the UK who is found to be in possession of an unlawful egg collection can find themselves faced with an unlimited fine or up to six months in prison. One of the UK’s most prolific egg collectors is a man named Daniel Lingham. In 2005, Lingham was convicted of collecting 3,603 wild bird eggs and spent 12 weeks in prison.

In 2018 he was arrested again for egg collecting after a member of the public saw him dressed “head-to-toe in camouflage gear” and picking up eggs. They reported this to the police, who performed a stop search on Lingham soon after. He had two tubs of eggs on him when officers searched him and reportedly said to them, “I’ve been a silly man, haven’t I?”

The word ‘obsessive’ would fit Lingham’s profile more than ‘silly’. He was found to be in possession of 5,266 eggs that had been taken from 134 locations. In some areas, he’d removed so many eggs that those species ceased to exist in the area! This time Lingham was jailed for 18 weeks and made to donate his collection to the Natural History Museum in London.

The wildlife officer also told me a little anecdote about a man who a passerby spotted egg collecting. The onlooker called the police, who had a suspicion of who the egg collector was based on the description provided, so they decided to pay him a visit. The suspected egg collector welcomed officers into his house to give them a tour while casually detailing how he’d moved on to other hobbies since he was last in trouble with the law. However, his jovial manner disappeared when officers noticed a suspicious square-shaped cut-out on the kitchen counter. With the flick of a switch, this square segment lifted up to reveal an LED-lit glass case full of rare bird eggs. I’ve seen that kind of thing in spy movies to show high-tech guns, but eggs?

Overall my conversation with the wildlife officer was enlightening and left me better equipped to identify this type of crime if I ever come across it. The hobby of egg collecting is becoming rarer. Still, for those die-hard hobbyists, social media is helping them mobilize and be able to increase their haul at the cost of our beautiful countryside.