Buzzard shot out of the sky in front of horrified bird watchers
‘Current laws are failing to act as a deterrent’, says RSPB
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Your support makes all the difference.Police are appealing for information after a buzzard being filmed by bird watchers was shot out of the sky over a nature reserve in Kent.
A video shows the common buzzard flying over the boundary of the RSPB’s Northward Hill reserve, before a gunshot is heard and the bird tumbles to the ground.
The witness who filmed the incident told the police and the RSPB who searched the area for the bird, but were unable to locate it.
Nine days later, another birdwatcher found the injured animal and it was taken to a vet, but had to be euthanised.
An x-ray revealed the bird had been brought down by a shot to the wing, but had apparently survived previous shootings, as it had three older pieces of shot stuck in its leg and shoulder.
The witness, who did not want to be named, said: “Northwood is a really special place for my family. We had just lost a loved one, so my dad suggested we take a walk to clear our heads.
“We were watching a buzzard flying together with another bird of prey, and I quickly got my phone out and started filming it. It was a beautiful sight.
“Then suddenly we heard a crack and the buzzard crumpled and fell to the ground. It was a feeling of utter shock. We couldn’t believe what we’d just seen. My sister was in floods of tears, we were just so shaken.”
They added: “It was not what we’d envisaged for our walk together. One moment we were watching something so alive, then the next a human had needlessly and senselessly taken it away – it felt like such a horrific waste.”
Mark Thomas, the RSPB’s head of investigations told The Independent: “This is the grim reality of raptor persecution. All birds of prey are protected by law, however we believe this incident is typical of what is happening, often unseen, to buzzards and other magnificent species, including rare hen harriers, goshawks and eagles.
“RSPB data shows that the illegal killing of birds of prey is widespread, that current laws are failing to act as a deterrent, and that people are getting away with these crimes. This has to stop.
“Someone has deliberately shot this bird, in broad daylight, on the boundary of a nature reserve. The cry of anguish and disbelief from the witness in the video clip says it all. We urge anyone with information to call the police.”
He added: “Watching nature, and the sense of peace, joy and escapism it brings, has never been more important than in these turbulent times. However, during lockdown this spring, we noticed a surge in reports of birds of prey being illegally killed. Please be vigilant and if you notice a dead or injured bird of prey in suspicious circumstances, please notify the police and the RSPB immediately.”
Police have spoken to a man in connection with the shooting, the RSPB said, but Kent Police told The Independent no arrests had been made and had no further updates.
If you have any information relating to this incident, call Kent Police on 101 and quote the crime reference: 11-0064.
You can also call the RSPB's confidential Raptor Crime Hotline on 0300 999 0101.
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