Birds of prey being illegally shot, poisoned and trapped across UK, charity warns

Britain's iconic birds of prey are being subjected to relentless illegal killing and regulating the shooting industry is the only way to stop it, warns the

The charity’s Birdreport revealed that over the last 15 years of “criminal slaughter” with 1,529 confirmed of prey persecution incidents. These have included rare and threatened species such as Golden Eagles, Hen Harriers, Peregrine Falcons, White-tailed Eagles and Goshawks.

But they warn that the figures worryingly represent just the tip of the iceberg as many of these incidents take place in unpopulated areas where they go unreported.

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Many of the victims were killed in brutal ways. In 2022 a Hen Harrier was found dead near the border of Yorkshire and Cumbria: the post-mortem examination concluded that its head had been pulled from its body while still alive. Another, known as Dagda, a one-year-old tagged male, was found by . Post-mortem results showed he had been shot on a neighbouring moor to a RSPB nature reserve.

Raptor persecution is also having a direct impact on species that are already struggling. Two young White-tailed Eagles - a species slowly recovering having been wiped out in the UK by persecution last century - were found dead on a grouse moor.

The RSPB says the majority of raptor persecution incidents are associated with land managed for gamebird shooting, where some individuals deliberately target birds of prey to maximise the number of game birds available to shoot for sport.

Mark Thomas, RSPB UK head of investigations, said: “Our latest report harrowingly details what the team sees on a day-to-day basis: the scale of raptor persecution, where it is happening and who is responsible.

“In the last 15 years, a minimum of 1344 amazing birds like Hen Harriers, Red Kites and eagles have been deliberately killed, the majority in connection with gamebird shooting - that’s a national disgrace which requires urgent UK government action.

“If we are to save birds like the highly threatened Hen Harrier, then the current legislation is clearly not enough: we need licencing of gamebird shooting throughout the UK, stronger penalties and meaningful sentencing to stop these crimes and save our wildlife.”

The report states that individuals convicted of bird of prey persecution-related offences between 2009 and 2023, 75% were connected to the gamebird shooting industry.

All birds of prey are protected by law, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. But in the past 15 years, only one person has been jailed. The RSPB said urrent laws are not serving as an effective deterrent or punishment for these crimes.

For decades the RSPB Investigations Team has challenged bird of prey persecution by detecting and recording crimes and assisting with police investigations.

The RSPB also uses satellite tag to shine a light on the scale of persecution faced by Hen Harriers. The real-time data received from these tags gives previously unknown insights into where the birds go and, crucially, when and where they die. It has revealed that more Hen Harriers were killed in 2023 than in any previous year.

To end this culture of criminality, the RSPB is calling for the licencing of all gamebird shooting across the UK by Westminster and all of the devolved administrations, building on the work already started in to licence grouse shooting.

Beccy Speight, RSPB Chief Executive, said: “For decades, the RSPB has investigated hundreds of cases of illegal bird of prey persecution in the UK. A significant proportion of these incidents happen on or near land associated with gamebird shooting. The RSPB is calling on the Westminster Government and all devolved administrations across the UK to introduce the licencing of gamebird shooting. This progressive step will help challenge the relentless killing of our birds of prey and help to safeguard their future survival.”

Alex Farrell, head of uplands at the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), said: “We, along with other rural organisations, is a signatory to a declaration advocating zero tolerance for illegal killing of birds of prey. We make it clear that BASC will expel members convicted of wildlife crime.

“The sector has taken significant positive steps in recent years. Although every incident is one too many, the previous year’s report showed a substantial reduction in cases. The RSPB must see the progress, yet it has trawled up figures from 15 years ago to prop up its narrative. It is disappointing that the RSPB refuses to acknowledge the sector’s progress. Their approach continues to be divisive."

“Wildlife crime is a complex issue, not confined to the shooting community, and we fully support efforts to tackle it wherever it occurs. We remain fully committed to continue working with government, police and conservation groups to root out criminal activity while also safeguarding the future of sustainable shooting.”