Despite laws designed to protect them, birds of prey are still being shot, trapped and poisoned across the UK. Support the RSPB’s Investigations Team today and help us keep these magnificent birds in our skies, where they belong.
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In the last 15 years, there have been more than 1,500 instances of birds of prey persecution in the UK, including Hen Harriers, White-tailed Eagles, Golden Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, Goshawks and Red Kites. These amazing birds are being trapped, shot and poisoned in big numbers, despite being protected under UK laws. We know most are being killed on land used for gamebird shooting, including National Parks and other protected landscapes.
But these confirmed incidents are just the tip of the iceberg.
The brutal and illegal killing of birds of prey is a national disgrace. It’s also destabilising some raptor populations and preventing the recovery of Hen Harriers as a species. It’s as serious as that.
I want to defend birds of prey.
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No-one investigates crimes against wild birds like we do. Without us, many of the crimes would go undetected and the criminals carrying out these barbaric killings would not be caught. The RSPB’s Investigations Team is dedicated to protecting birds of prey and our officers work long hours, in all weathers, often in remote areas, to follow up intelligence reports and gather evidence of crimes. We then work alongside the police to try to bring criminals to justice. We also painstakingly maintain the only long-term dataset recording all known incidents of raptor persecution across the UK.
As a charity we rely on your support, and we need it now more than ever. Every penny you donate will go directly to the Investigations Team, helping us continue our vital work all around the UK – investigating and challenging crimes against birds of prey, and pushing for better protection.
We won’t stop until the killing stops. Please donate today and help us uncover more hidden bird crimes. Your support can help us put more boots on the ground so we can help keep more of our majestic birds of prey soaring above our heads.
The scale of illegal persecution in the UK is shocking, but the good news is that we’re making progress. Following decades of campaigning by the RSPB and others, the licensing of grouse moors is now law in Scotland, with estates running the risk of strict sanctions if they are involved in raptor persecution. But we desperately need this to be adopted in England to make sure that, after decades of relentless persecution, our birds of prey have a brighter future.
Donate today and help the RSPB Investigations Team prevent crimes against birds of prey.
For 15 years we’ve been creating the Birdcrime report, detailing the known illegal shooting, trapping and poisoning of protected birds of prey in the UK.
“The RSPB Investigations Team plays a crucial role in preventing and exposing crimes against birds of prey, but we desperately need your help to maintain this vital work.”
Mark Thomas, UK Head of RSPB Investigations