A young red kite from Wales, released in Northern Ireland as part of a reintroduction programme, has been found shot dead.
The grim discovery was made near the townland of Leitrim in South Co Down.
RSPB Northern Ireland released 27 chicks from Wales in July at the start of a three-year species reintroduction programme in partnership with the Welsh Kite Trust and the Golden Eagle Trust. Red kites have been absent from Northern Ireland for more than 200 years.
Tests carried out by the Police Service of Northern Ireland suggest the dead bird may have been killed deliberately. Both its wing tags and an identifying leg ring had been removed before the bird was recovered. The dead bird would have been no more than four months old.
Tony Cross of the Welsh Kite Trust said:
'It is very saddening that some thoughtless idiot has shot this bird. The Welsh Kite Trust and Golden Eagle Trust worked very hard throughout June to source these birds which were kindly given over by the farmers of Wales to help with our continuing conservation work on this iconic species.
'This particular bird was the elder of two chicks from a nest near Machynlleth. We will be watching the progress of the remaining birds carefully as we are unwilling to send more chicks from Wales if they experience high levels of persecution.'
Monitoring work carried out this summer by The Welsh Kite Trust indicates that there are between 600 and 800 nesting pairs of red kites in Wales. However, across the UK the fortunes of red kites are far less positive. Red kites were hunted to extinction in Ireland more than 200 years ago, at a time when there was much misinformation about kites and birds of prey in general. In 2008, there can be no such excuses.
Dr Tim Stowe, the RSPB’s Director, Wales, said: 'Red kites are an iconic bird in Wales, and their population has improved dramatically here over the last 20 years thanks to the dedicated efforts of conservation organisations and landowners. We are delighted that there are now enough to help re-establish the birds in Northern Ireland and we should have been celebrating.
'The message needs to be sent out that these birds should be a treasured addition to our countryside and not a target for illegal shooting.'
The RSPB launched its birds of prey campaign in July to call for and end to the illegal killing of birds of prey. To support the campaign, please visit www.rspb.org.uk/birdsofprey