article_snippet: Martin Harper has unexpectedly backed pheasant shooting, causing outrage among Conservation group's supporters .
article_snippet: As Britain’s leading bird charity, you might expect RSPB RSPB to oppose pheasant shooting.
article_snippet: But one of RSPB bosses has unexpectedly backed the practice, causing outrage among supporters of Conservation group.
article_snippet: The row began when Martin Harper, conservation director of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, wrote a blog saying Britain’s leading bird charity supported ‘progressive’ shoots  as Britain’s leading bird charity were good for the countryside.
article_snippet: Martin Harper wrote: ‘Yes, we condemn wildlife crime including any persecution of protected birds of prey.
article_snippet: Lee Clements wrote: ‘Very disappointed to learn that @Natures_Voice “has always been neutral on the ethics of shooting birds.
article_snippet: the RSPB estimates the total to be 50million.
article_snippet: In an interview with The Observer, Mr Harper added that is was too simplistic to say that RSPB is ‘anti-shooting’.
article_snippet: Mr Harper said: ‘the RSPB is ‘anti-shooting’’s more sophisticated than that.
article_snippet: ’ Stuart Housden, a director at RSPB, said: