Police are investigating the shooting of the female buzzard, which was found just north of Kirbymoorside in Farndale.
PC Stewart Ashton from North Yorkshire Police said it was likely more birds have been killed in the area.
He said: “This is the fourth buzzard reported to have been shot in Ryedale over the past four months. This figure alone is disturbing but due to the hidden nature of the crime, this figure will not be a true portrayal of the number of raptors being killed.”
In 2011 the RSPB named North Yorkshire as the UK’s worst black spot for crimes against birds of prey, saying there were more incidents recorded in the region than in Scotland, Wales and all of England’s southern counties combined in 2010.
Species including goshawks, red kites, hen harrier and peregrine falcons have all been targeted by shooting or poisoning in the past few years.
According to the charity nearly 75 per cent of those convicted of bird of prey crimes had ties to game shooting and an interest in removing potential predators from grouse moors.
They have submitted written evidence to the House of Commons Environment Audit Committee stating there is a “strong body of scientific evidence” linking raptor persecution with upland moors managed for grouse shooting.
So if you are out walking the moors this Bank Holiday and find evidence of dead raptors, please contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Full articles below
http://raptorpolitics.org.uk/2013/04/29/rspb-puts-up-1000-reward-after-a-fourth-buzzard-in-four-months-found-shot-in-north-yorkshire/
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/10385210.RSPB_puts_up___1_000_reward_for_information_as_birds_of_prey_being_shot_in_North_Yorkshire/