Illegal Killing of Protected Birds of Prey Persists in Britain
Despite decades of legal protection, some of Britain's rarest birds of prey continue to be killed illegally, according to a report by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).
The forthcoming report, set to be published on Wednesday, documents 921 confirmed attacks on birds of prey between 2015 and 2024. The RSPB notes that more than half of these incidents occurred on or near land managed for game shooting.
Mark Thomas, head of the RSPB's investigations unit, stated, "The killings are about money," explaining that birds of prey are targeted to prevent them from preying on young pheasants, partridges, or grouse, thereby leaving more birds available for shooting by paying customers.
Shooting organisations strongly deny that persecution is widespread within the industry, asserting that it is conducted by a small minority and condemning such actions unequivocally.
However, the RSPB is advocating for the licensing of gamebird shooting in England and Wales. The organisation argues that estates should face stricter consequences when protected birds are killed on their property.
Targeted species include eagles, red kites, peregrine falcons, hen harriers, goshawks, and barn owls. The RSPB only classifies cases as "confirmed" when supported by forensic, eyewitness, or video evidence.
The RSPB's investigations unit, staffed by former police officers and bird experts, works to identify suspects involved in the killing of protected birds. Evidence collected by investigators, including hidden-camera footage, has contributed to securing three convictions this year.
Two of these convictions involved birds being beaten to death after being caught in traps—one a buzzard and the other a goshawk. While some live-capture traps are permitted for pest control of species such as crows and pigeons, these traps must be checked regularly, and non-target species must be released unharmed.
The third conviction arose from covert surveillance at a hen harrier roost in the Yorkshire Dales, where investigators gathered evidence of a planned attempt to kill one of the UK's rarest birds of prey.
RSPB footage showed head gamekeeper Racster Dingwall arriving with a shotgun, while hidden audio recorded discussions about killing other protected birds and concerns over whether a harrier might be satellite-tagged.
Dingwall later admitted offences related to an attempt to kill a protected hen harrier and was fined £1,520.
The RSPB reports that recorded incidents have decreased in recent years but maintains that the long-term pattern indicates criminal prosecutions alone are insufficient.
It proposes that gamebird shooting in England and Wales be licensed, similar to the red grouse shooting licensing system in Scotland. The RSPB suggests that licences could be suspended or revoked on the civil standard of proof, even when criminal prosecution is challenging.
Shooting organisations oppose these proposals, arguing that licensing would unfairly penalise responsible estates and could jeopardise conservation efforts.
Dr Marnie Lovejoy, of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), told the BBC, "What we should do is strengthen law enforcement to prosecute individuals who commit these crimes. They have no place in the modern shooting community."
She added that licensing would introduce an additional layer of regulation to activities already governed by law and would impact all participants in shooting.
Dr Lovejoy further noted that the sector contributes significantly to nature recovery, investing approximately £500 million annually in conservation work—equivalent, BASC estimates, to 26,000 full-time jobs and 14 million workdays.
The government has not endorsed the RSPB's licensing proposals but stated it will collaborate with the shooting sector and other stakeholders to explore broader measures, including licensing.
A spokesperson from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) told the BBC, "Many estates already meet high environmental standards, and we want all estates to achieve these same high standards."
Economic Roots of Conflict and Conservation Perspectives
Professor Davy McCracken, from Scotland's Rural College, who has spent 35 years studying upland management and wildlife, explains that the tension between protecting birds of prey and managing land for grouse shooting is fundamentally economic.
He stated, "That is where the root of the conflict actually lands."
Professor McCracken agrees that persecution is carried out by a minority within the game-shooting community and cautions that focusing solely on these individuals can obscure the conservation work conducted elsewhere in the sector.
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