Protected birds of prey still being illegally killed across Britain, RSPB warns

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has reported that protected raptors in Britain continue to be shot, trapped, and poisoned. More than half of the recorded attacks occurred on or near land used for game shooting. The charity is calling for stronger enforcement and accountability.

Protected birds of prey in Britain are still being deliberately killed despite legal protections, according to a new report from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). The charity documented cases of raptors — including eagles, hawks, and harriers — being shot, trapped, and poisoned across the country.

The RSPB found that more than half of all recorded attacks on protected raptors took place on or in the immediate vicinity of land managed for game shooting. This has reignited long-standing tensions between wildlife conservation groups and the game shooting industry, which has repeatedly denied that illegal persecution is widespread or systematic.

Conservationists argue that the continued killing of legally protected species represents a serious failure of enforcement. Birds of prey sit at the top of the food chain and play a vital role in maintaining healthy ecosystems, yet populations of several species remain suppressed in areas where game shooting takes place, according to the RSPB.

The charity is urging authorities to impose stricter penalties on landowners and gamekeepers found responsible for wildlife crimes, and has called for greater transparency in how shooting estates are managed. Critics of the industry say that without meaningful consequences, the illegal killing is unlikely to stop.

The game shooting sector has pushed back against the findings, arguing that the industry supports rural livelihoods and contributes to conservation efforts. The debate over raptor persecution and land management in Britain is expected to intensify as pressure grows on the government to act.