Bird of prey poisonings hit four-year high

Published on Monday 14 March 2011 14:32

THE NUMBER of birds of prey being illegally poisoned in Scotland has risen to the highest level since 2006, new figures have revealed.

Four iconic golden eagles and one sea eagle were among the 28 raptors which were killed as a result of illegal poisonings last year, according to a report from the Partnership for Action against Wildlife Crime in Scotland (PAW).

PAW's latest maps, plotting hotspots for raptor persecution north of the Border, show that illegal killings in the Northern Constabulary area accounted for more than a third of all bird of prey poisonings, with two distinct clusters in the Strathspey area and north of the Dornoch Firth.

The latest figures for 2010 - one more than the previous year - bring the total number of illegal poisonings of birds of prey in Scotland to 132 in the past five years.

Roseanna Cunningham, Scotland's minister for the environment and climate change, announced the latest figures during a visit to the Doune Estate in Perthshire. She condemned the continuing death toll.

Ms Cunningham said: "It's disappointing to see that there has been no improvement in the number of birds of prey being deliberately and illegally poisoned in Scotland in the last 12 months. The fact that 132 of these iconic species have been targeted in the last five years is unacceptable.

"It's especially sad that some of the victims, such as sea eagles, are part of reintroduction programmes, and there really has to be a change in attitude amongst those who are persistently involved in killing raptors."

She continued: "We are taking measures to tackle this problem and have introduced a new vicarious liability offence as part of the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill to make sure that those who direct or turn a blind eye to bird persecution can be held to account."

The latest report shows that during the year 13 buzzards, seven red kites, four golden eagles, one sea eagle, two peregrine falcons, and one sparrowhawk were deliberately killed with illegal chemicals.

Carbofuran, an illegal pesticide, accounted for 16 of the deaths.

Ten of the incidents were in the Northern Constabulary area, six in Tayside, three in Lothian and Borders, two in Dumfries and Galloway and one in Strathclyde.

Duncan Orr-Ewing, the head of species and land management for RSPB Scotland, also expressed his concern at the rising number of illegal killings.

He said: "It is very disappointing to see that illegal poisoning continues at unacceptably high levels in our countryside, affecting the populations of golden eagles, red kites and other vulnerable bird of prey species.

"Seven red kites, four golden eagles and a sea eagle were confirmed by Scottish Government testing to have been illegally poisoned in 2010, and we know that many other victims will have gone undetected in remote parts of our countryside."He added: "We welcome universal condemnation of such indiscriminate and illegal practice, and call on all responsible land managers to provide information to the police on those responsible for these crimes."

Doug McAdam, chief executive of the Scottish Rural Property and Business Association, said: "While it is disappointing that 2010 did not reflect earlier reductions in the number of illegally poisoned birds of prey and a fairly static position nationally, the current situation demonstrates that collaboration and partnership are the way forward, not conflict and polarised views ."

SCOTLAND'S KILLING FIELDS

May 2010 - The bodies of five birds of prey, including three golden eagles, are found in Sutherland. Investigation launched to discover whether the raptors, which also include a sparrowhawk and a buzzard, were deliberately poisoned.

June 2010 - Two men are reported to the procurator fiscal by Northern Constabulary after the discovery of poisoned birds of prey near Inverness, following a surveillance operation lasting several weeks. The carcases recovered include red kites, sparrowhawks and merlins.

July 2010 - Eight rare red kite chicks die in separate nests in the Black Isle after they are accidentally given poisoned food by adult birds.

August 2010 : Tayside Police investigate the illegal poisoning of a red kite found in the Strathtay area of Highland Perthshire - the first red kite to have been poisoned in the area for 15 years. The force announces that officers have also recovered 14 buzzards, two tawny owls, two sparrowhawks, two crows, and a common gull from the same area, all of which had been poisoned.