Britain's protected birds of prey still being shot, trapped and poisoned, says RSPB
Key takeaways
- The charity's report, to be published on Wednesday, records 921 confirmed attacks between 2015 and 2024, with more than half, according to the RSPB, on or near land managed for game shooting.
- Shooting organisations strongly deny persecution is widespread across the industry.
- But the RSPB is calling for gamebird shooting in England and Wales to be licensed, arguing estates should face tougher consequences when protected birds are killed on their land.
Why this matters: a developing story that could shape the day's news cycle.
Justin Rowlatt Climate editor Getty Images Fewer then 150 pairs of White-tailed Eagles are thought to live in the UKSome of Britain's rarest birds of prey are still being illegally killed despite decades of legal protection, according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).
The charity's report, to be published on Wednesday, records 921 confirmed attacks between 2015 and 2024, with more than half, according to the RSPB, on or near land managed for game shooting.
Mark Thomas, head of the RSPB's investigations unit, said the killings were "about money", with birds of prey targeted to stop them taking young pheasants, partridges or grouse, leaving more birds to be shot by paying customers.