Worth reading these two blogs (links below) about the uses of "Crow traps" which most of you will have seen if you visit hill and pheasant shooting areas. What stands out is the lenient sentences and how easy it is outside of Scotland to avoid arrest and conviction.
A summary of cases involving buzzards found in cage traps
Date | Associated land use | Outcome |
Feb 2004 | Pheasant shooting (England) | Member of public found buzzard in cage trap. RSPB did surveillance - two gamekeepers arrived, one immediately killed buzzard with a stick. Both found guilty of killing the buzzard and fined £2000. |
April 2006 | Driven grouse moor (Scotland) | Member of public found buzzards in cage trap RSPB did surveillance – gamekeeper arrived and shot two birds with a rifle, bodies buried down rabbit holes. These were recovered along with 11 other dead buzzards inside nearby rabbit holes. Pleaded guilty to killing two buzzards – fined £200. |
April 2008 | Driven grouse moor (England) | Member of public found buzzard in cage trap. RSPB surveillance over three days recorded no visits. Supplementary food provided and buzzard released unharmed by RSPB. Remains of two buzzards found near trap – suspected starved/killed following being caught in the cage trap. Trap operator identified but no further action by police. |
Dec 2012 | Pheasant shooting (England) | Members of public found buzzards in cage trap. RSPB installed surveillance camera. Buzzards released unharmed by RSPB and public after 24-hour period. No trap visit recorded during 11 days. Gamekeeper later cautioned re illegal use of trap. |
Feb 2013 | Pheasant shooting (England) | Members of public found buzzards in cage trap. RSPB installed surveillance camera. This recorded two buzzards beaten to death by a part-time gamekeeper. He also admitted killing c10 other buzzards in recent years in the same trap. Received suspended sentence following a guilty plea to killing seven buzzards. |
April 2014 | Driven grouse moor (Scotland) | RSPB found buzzard in cage trap and installed surveillance camera. Buzzard released within 24 hours. |
January 2019 | Driven grouse moor (Scotland) | RSPB found buzzard in cage trap and installed video camera. Later review showed that on the evening of the following day during darkness a vehicle arrived. Person entered trap, believed to have killed buzzard, and body taken away. Suspect not identified. |
March 2021 | Driven grouse moor (England)
| Members of public found buzzard in cage trap. RSPB installed surveillance camera. Buzzard present for at least 15 hours. The bird was released unharmed but the fact two men, presumed gamekeepers, arrived on a nice day with their faces fully covered may indicate the trap had not been checked for more than the required 25 hours. |
April 2021 | Farmland for sheep (Wales) | Following report from public, a buzzard later found in a cage trap. RSPB installed surveillance camera and provided fresh water and food. Buzzard present for at least two days before being released unharmed by RSPB. Farmer received Community Resolution Order with requirement for suitable training. |
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