Illegal bird of prey killing must end, urges RSPB Birdcrime report
- The Birdcrime report, which reviews the past 15 years, reveals 1,344 birds of prey were illegally killed between 2009-2023, with crimes continuing to emerge. These criminal acts target threatened species including Golden Eagles, Goshawks and Hen Harriers.
- The majority of incidents are associated with land managed for gamebird shooting.
- The RSPB is calling for significant legislative change across the UK to stop bird of prey persecution.
The RSPB is calling for an end to the relentless illegal killing of birds of prey in a new report, which documents 15 years of criminal slaughter.
The Birdcrime report reveals that between 2009-2023 there were 1,529 confirmed bird of prey persecution incidents involving 1,344 individual birds of prey. These include rare and threatened species such as Golden Eagles, Hen Harriers, Peregrine Falcons, White-tailed Eagles and Goshawks.
These latest figures reveal that crimes are being committed on a considerable scale year-on-year. Worryingly, they represent just the tip of the iceberg as many of these incidents take place in unpopulated areas where they go unreported.
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.
Raptor persecution is 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 in County Antrim, Northern Ireland in 2023. Analysis confirmed that both eagles had died by ingesting Bendiocarb, a highly toxic insecticide. Laying poisoned baits, which are incredibly dangerous to people and pets, is illegal, yet a common technique used to kill birds of prey.
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 gamebirds available to shoot for sport.
Scientific studies reach the same conclusion. A landmark paper (Ewing et al, 2023) published in Biological Conservation revealed that the illegal killing of Hen Harriers associated with gamebird management accounts for up to three-quarters of Hen Harrier annual mortality.
And of all 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. Yet in the past 15 years, only one person has been jailed. Current 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 technology 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 Scotland to licence grouse shooting.
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 Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill, passed in March 2024, means all grouse shoots in Scotland require a licence to operate, and that this licence could be revoked if a crime is committed. This progressive legislation will help ensure legal and sustainable management across a significant area of upland Scotland and introduces a much-needed deterrent for those who kill birds of prey for economic reasons.
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.”
A copy of the report can be downloaded here.
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