Wild Bird Raptor Welfare and Persecution

Birds of prey face illegal persecution through poisoning, shooting, and trap use in many countries, causing significant welfare harm and threatening population viability of several species.

Key Facts

Illegal killing of raptors, particularly on driven grouse moors in the UK, has prevented recovery of hen harrier and other species.
Secondary poisoning from rodenticides including brodifacoum kills thousands of red kites, barn owls, and buzzards annually.
Pole traps, now illegal in the UK, were used historically to catch and injure raptors protecting game birds.
Satellite tagging of raptors has documented suspicious disappearances correlating with managed shooting estates.
The RSPB investigates over 1,000 confirmed or suspected cases of wildlife crime involving raptors annually in the UK.

Welfare Considerations

Raptor persecution causes significant individual animal suffering through poisoning deaths, shooting injuries, and trap injuries — each representing an intentional welfare harm. Beyond individual suffering, persecution prevents population recovery and ecosystem function in ways that affect broader wildlife welfare across habitats. Effective enforcement of existing wildlife protection laws, combined with land management incentives that reward conservation rather than persecution, addresses both individual welfare and population-level harm.

What You Can Do

Report any suspected raptor poisoning or persecution to the RSPB Investigation Unit or equivalent national body.
Support campaigns for stronger enforcement of wildlife crime legislation including vicarious liability for landowners.
Advocate for grouse moor licensing systems that make continuation of driven shooting conditional on raptor population monitoring.
Support organizations including RSPB, Raptor Persecution UK, and equivalent bodies working on raptor protection.