North police appeal over falcon shooting

A peregrine falcon was fatally injured by a shotgun blast in the latest in a series of attacks on birds of prey in the North, it emerged today.

Police appealed for information on the shooting after the bird was found injured on the Craigaroddan Road in Portaferry.

The wounded bird was taken to a vet by a member of the public, but it was put down after shotgun pellets were found in one of its wings.

Police warned that those responsible for the Co Down attack faced court if they were identified, but an Assembly member said the incident was the “tip of the iceberg”.

The RSPB said attacks on birds of prey was a serious problem. The DUP’s Jim Wells, who is a member of a protection group monitoring the North’s 71 pairs of peregrines, said there had been a number of incidents targeting those birds in particular.

“There have been two incidents this autumn alone,” said Mr Wells.

“Quite clearly some of these are mis-identification, but some of these are direct persecution.

“These are the cases we know of, but other birds of prey could be lying in an open field or shot on moorland.

“This is the tip of the iceberg.”

Mr Wells blamed what he described as rogue elements in pigeon fancying circles in other parts of the North for attacks on bird of prey, but he thought the Portaferry incident was likely to have been a mistaken or accidental shooting by wildfowlers.

“There is a conflict between birds of prey and pigeon fancying. The birds of prey are blamed for killing pigeons and some mindless people take revenge on these magnificent birds,” he said.

“That is the single biggest problem in Northern Ireland.

“What we need is to see one of these individuals brought before the courts.”

Police said the peregrine falcon was found injured on Saturday.

A spokesman said: “Wildlife forms an important part of our natural heritage. Birds of prey are protected by law within the Wildlife (NI) Order 1985 and are afforded the highest level of wildlife protection. Anyone with information regarding the persecution of protected wildlife should come forward as doing so will help make sure those responsible go before the courts.”