Sparrowhawk shot dead with shotgun in Highlands suffered 'painful death' as police investigate

This article contains images that some readers may find distressing

Police Scotland and wildlife experts are appealing for information after a sparrowhawk was found shot dead in the Highlands.

A member of the public reported to RSPB Scotland that they had noticed a male bird of prey dead on the ground in the Cradlehall area of Inverness on March 6, 2025.

The next day, in agreement with police, an investigations officer for the wildlife charity collected the bird’s body and sent it for testing to establish the cause of death.

A post-mortem by a vet revealed a pellet lodged within the bird’s chest and concluded that it had been shot with a shotgun.

It found that the bird could have died some distance from where it was shot, before later dying from an infection and starvation as a result of the shooting.

POLICE Scotland and RSPB Scotland are appealing for information after a male Sparrowhawk was found shot in the Cradlehall area of Inverness.RSPB Scotland

All wild birds are legally protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Anyone found to have killed or injured a bird of prey faces an unlimited fine or even jail.

Police are appealing to anyone with information in connection with this incident to come forward.

Ian Thomson, RSPB Scotland’s head of investigations, said: “Sparrowhawks are one of the birds of prey you or I are most likely to encounter, as they live alongside us in parks and gardens.

“They hunt small birds by stealth and can be identified by their brilliantly piercing yellow eyes. The presence of Sparrowhawks and other birds of prey is a good indicator of a healthy and balanced ecosystem.

“This bird was shot with a shotgun, resulting in a drawn-out and painful death. Few people have access to such weapons, with even fewer motivated to shoot at protected birds of prey.

“We ask that if anyone has information about this incident, to please get in touch with Police Scotland or ourselves.”

Thomas Plant, Bea Ayling and Shona Rüesch of the Inverness Urban Sparrowhawk Project have been studying the Sparrowhawk population in Inverness since 2020.

They said: “We are absolutely devastated to hear that someone has shot one of these beautiful and majestic birds: one we may have been monitoring this year here in Inverness.

“As part of our voluntary monitoring we have been checking nest sites and colour-ringing Sparrowhawks (with support and funding from the Highland Raptor Study Group (HRSG)).

“We hope that this will help to improve understanding of the local Sparrowhawk population, their movements, lifespans and the threats that they face.”

Anyone with information relating to this incident is asked to call Police Scotland on 101 quoting reference number CR/0132125/25.

If you notice a dead or injured bird of prey in suspicious circumstances, you can call Police Scotland on 101 and fill in the RSPB’s online reporting form.