Appeal after bird of prey killed by shotgun in the Scottish Highlands

An appeal has been launched after a bird of prey was killed illegally in the Scottish Highlands.

RSPB Scotland said a male sparrowhawk had been found dead by a member of the public in the Cradlehall area of Inverness.

The charity said a post-mortem revealed a pellet lodged within the bird’s chest and concluded the bird had been shot with a shotgun.

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The sparrowhawk was found dead in a residential area of Inverness | RSPB Scotland

It remains unclear as to where exactly the bird was shot before its death was reported to the RSPB in the first week of March.

All wild birds are legally protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Anyone found to have killed or injured a bird of prey faces an unlimited fine or even jail.

Police Scotland are appealing to anyone with information in connection with this incident to come forward.

Ian Thomson, RSPB Scotland's head of investigations, said: “Sparrowhawks are one of the birds of prey you or I are most likely to encounter, as they live alongside us in parks and gardens.

“They hunt small birds by stealth and can be identified by their brilliantly piercing yellow eyes.

“The presence of sparrowhawks and other birds of prey is a good indicator of a healthy and balanced eco-system. This bird was shot with a shotgun, resulting in a drawn-out and painful death.

“Few people have access to such weapons, with even fewer motivated to shoot at protected birds of prey. We ask that if anyone has information about this incident, to please get in touch with Police Scotland or ourselves.”