Bird of prey killing at ‘significantly high level in England’ - RSPB
The RSPB’s Birdcrime 2021 report, published today, reveals 108 confirmed incidents of bird of prey persecution in the UK, 80 of which were in England.
Protected birds of prey continue to be illegally killed in high numbers, particularly in relation to land managed for gamebird shooting
Birdcrime report reveals 80 of 108 confirmed incidents were in England alone: the second-highest figure for England on record
‘Nothing will change’ without urgent government action
The RSPB’s Birdcrime 2021 report, published today, reveals 108 confirmed incidents of bird of prey persecution in the UK, 80 of which were in England.
The total includes 50 buzzards, 16 red kites, seven peregrines and three goshawks. Rare hen harriers and white-tailed eagles continue to be affected. The majority were either shot, trapped or poisoned.
All birds of prey are protected by law under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Scientific papers, intelligence and satellite tagging studies for key species such as hen harrier suggest the annual Birdcrime totals are only the tip of a far larger iceberg, and that many killings go undetected and unreported.
In 2021, over two thirds (71%) of all confirmed incidents of raptor persecution related to land managed for gamebird shooting, where birds of prey are seen by some as a threat to gamebird stocks and illegally killed.
In England alone there were 80 confirmed incidents, making it the second-worst year on record. One shocking incident was caught on camera by the RSPB, showing a gamekeeper beating buzzards to death in a trap in Nottinghamshire. Another involved a gruesome mass grave of birds of prey concealed down a well in Wiltshire.
Two of the worst counties based on 2021 data – Norfolk (13 incidents) and Dorset (12 incidents) – are lowland areas, dominated by pheasant and partridge shooting. The third worst county was North Yorkshire (10 incidents), which includes grouse, pheasant and partridge shooting.
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Posted On: 15/11/2022