Raptor Persecution: Illegal Killing and Its Welfare and Conservation Impact

Illegal persecution of birds of prey including poisoning, shooting and nest destruction remains a serious welfare and conservation problem on shooting estates across Europe and the UK.

Key Facts

Hen harriers, peregrine falcons, red kites and white-tailed eagles are all subject to illegal killing in the UK
Poisoned baits using banned substances including carbofuran have killed hundreds of raptors in Scotland and England
Satellite tagging data shows a significant proportion of tagged golden eagles and hen harriers disappear in suspicious circumstances over driven grouse moors
Snares set for foxes and other targets also kill raptors as non-target species
Persecution prevents hen harrier population recovery in England, where only a fraction of suitable breeding territories are occupied
Vicarious liability legislation in Scotland makes landowners responsible for wildlife crime by their employees
RSPB and Wildlife Crime units investigate raptor persecution crimes but prosecution rates remain very low

Welfare Considerations

Illegal raptor persecution causes welfare harm at multiple levels. Poisoned raptors experience prolonged neurological suffering before death. Trapped birds sustain injury before being killed. Shooting victims may not die immediately. Nest destruction during incubation kills developing embryos and may kill attending adults. Beyond individual welfare, the suppression of raptor populations by illegal persecution prevents population-level recovery of ecologically important species that have a right to exist without deliberate human-caused death. The welfare and legal dimensions of raptor persecution align: protecting raptors from illegal killing is simultaneously a welfare imperative and a legal obligation that the conservation and farming communities should enforce without reservation.

What You Can Do

Report any suspected raptor persecution incidents to the police wildlife crime unit and RSPB Investigations
Support campaigns for stronger wildlife crime penalties including vicarious liability legislation
Choose game and venison from estates with documented anti-persecution policies and raptor monitoring programmes
Donate to the RSPB Investigations team and Wildlife Crime units tackling raptor persecution
Raise awareness of raptor persecution as a serious ongoing crime with communities engaged in country sports