THE RSPB’s Birdcrime 2021 report has revealed there were 12 confirmed incidents of bird of prey persecution in Dorset last year.

Two of the worst counties based on 2021 data – Norfolk (13 incidents) and Dorset (12 incidents) – are lowland areas, dominated by pheasant and partridge shooting. The third worst county was North Yorkshire (10 incidents), which includes grouse, pheasant and partridge shooting.

All birds of prey are protected by law under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Scientific papers, intelligence and satellite tagging studies for key species such as hen harrier suggest the annual Birdcrime totals are only the tip of a far larger iceberg, and that many killings go undetected and unreported.

Mark Thomas, RSPB head of investigations UK, said: “The data in this report clearly show that raptor persecution remains at a sustained high level, especially in England, with over two thirds of the incidents connected to land managed for gamebird shooting.

“The illegal shooting, trapping and poisoning of birds of prey has no place in modern society. In a nature and climate emergency, the deliberate destruction of protected species for financial gain is completely devastating and unacceptable.

“The time for reform is now long overdue. Licensing driven grouse moors is the first step in clamping down on those estates engaged in criminal activity at no loss to those operating within the law.”

In December 2021, a UN assessment on UK wildlife crime, requested by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), was published.

It contained several recommendations on raptor persecution, including stronger regulation of the shooting industry.

The RSPB is urging the Government to take these UN recommendations forward urgently, and to follow Scotland’s example in introducing licensing for driven grouse shooting.