Birds of prey deaths blamed on shooting estate gamekeepers – RSPB

A spokesman for the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation insisted that birds of prey were “thriving on land managed for shooting” and that its members were achieving “enormous conservation successes”.

“It is disappointing that the RSPB will not work together with organisations such as ours, for the good of all bird species,” he added.

The Moorland Association, which represents grouse moor estate owners in England and Wales, said the RSPB report was “completely disingenuous”.

Andrew Gilruth, the association’s chief executive, said the number of birds of prey killed was a tiny percentage of the whole population.

“Rather than continue to attack rural communities with sweeping generalisations, why is the charity not celebrating this success?” he said.

All birds of prey are protected by law but the RSPB said that, out of 62 prosecutions over the past 15 years, only one person was jailed.

The organisation is now calling for all the UK’s devolved nations to follow Scotland’s example, external and bring in licensing for grouse moor estates.

“That means if any offences occur on a particular shoot that estate can lose the ability to shoot on there. The licence is revoked for a number of years,” explained Mark Thomas, the RSPB’s head of investigations.

“Unfortunately we do not have that in the rest of the UK. We need to see wider licensing particularly for grouse moors in England and pheasant and partridge shooting in the lowlands of the UK.”

The administrations of England, Wales and Nothern Ireland told the BBC that there are strong penalties in place for crimes committed against birds of prey but there were currently no plans for the new licensing of shooting estates.

In the meantime, Mr Thomas called on birdwatchers and countryside walkers to report any incidents they see to the RSPB and to the police.

“This has to stop. The killing has to stop,” he said.