Britain’s Protected Raptors Continue to Face Illegal Persecution, RSPB Warns

Despite decades of legal safeguards, some of the United Kingdom’s most vulnerable birds of prey are still being illegally killed through shooting, trapping, and poisoning, according to a new report from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). The charity’s findings, set for release on Wednesday, detail 921 verified incidents of attacks between 2015 and 2024. The RSPB notes that more than half of these offenses occurred on or in the vicinity of lands managed specifically for game shooting.

Mark Thomas, who leads the RSPB’s investigations unit, attributed the killings primarily to financial motives. He explained that predators are targeted to prevent them from preying on young pheasants, partridges, or grouse, thereby ensuring a higher number of birds remain available for paying customers. While shooting organizations firmly reject claims that persecution is endemic to the industry—asserting that such acts are committed by a small minority and are universally condemned—the RSPB is urging the government to implement a licensing system for gamebird shooting in England and Wales. The charity argues that estates must face stricter civil consequences when protected species are harmed on their property.

The species targeted in these incidents include barn owls, goshawks, hen harriers, peregrine falcons, red kites, and eagles. To ensure accuracy, the RSPB only categorizes cases as "confirmed" when supported by video, eyewitness, or forensic evidence. Its specialized investigations team, composed of former police officers and avian experts, works to identify suspects. This year, evidence gathered by the unit, including covert camera footage, contributed to three convictions. In two instances, birds—a buzzard and a goshawk—were beaten to death after being caught in traps. Although certain live-capture traps are legally permitted for pest control involving crows and pigeons, regulations require them to be checked regularly to ensure non-target animals are released unharmed.

The third conviction stemmed from covert surveillance at a hen harrier roost in the Yorkshire Dales. Investigators documented a planned attempt to kill one of the UK’s rarest raptors. RSPB footage showed head gamekeeper Racster Dingwall arriving with a shotgun, while hidden audio captured discussions regarding the killing of other protected birds and the potential satellite-tagging of a harrier. Dingwall subsequently admitted to offenses related to an attempt to kill a protected hen harrier and was fined £1,520.

Although the RSPB acknowledges a recent decline in recorded incidents, it contends that the long-term trend indicates that criminal prosecutions alone are insufficient. The organization advocates for a licensing regime similar to that currently in place for red grouse shooting in Scotland. Under such a system, licenses could be suspended or revoked based on the civil standard of proof, even in cases where criminal prosecution proves difficult.

Shooting groups oppose these proposals, arguing they would unfairly penalize responsible landowners and jeopardize conservation efforts. Dr. Marnie Lovejoy of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) told the BBC that the focus should be on strengthening law enforcement to prosecute offenders, stating, "They have no place in the modern shooting community." She warned that licensing would impose additional regulatory burdens on an already heavily regulated sector. Lovejoy highlighted the sector’s economic impact, noting that shooting contributes approximately £500 million annually to nature recovery, which BASC estimates supports 26,000 full-time jobs and 14 million workdays.

The government has not endorsed the RSPB’s specific proposals but has committed to collaborating with the shooting sector and other stakeholders to explore broader measures, including the potential for licensing. A Defra spokesperson stated, "Many estates already meet high environmental standards, and we want all estates to achieve these same high standards."

Professor Davy McCracken from Scotland’s Rural College, who has spent 35 years researching upland management and wildlife, suggests that the friction between raptor conservation and grouse shooting management is fundamentally economic. "That is where the root of the conflict ac..."

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-05-25 23:35:26 UTC