Fifth bird of prey poisoned

Thursday 03 September 2020

A fifth bird of prey has been killed by illegal pesticides, after eating part of a dead pigeon which had already consumed the poison.

The buzzard was found in mid-July, but its cause of death has only been confirmed this week.

The contents of its digestive system were sent over to the UK for testing, along with the entire pigeon, which was found alongside the dead buzzard. It's believed the bird of prey died whilst eating the pigeon, both of which were found to have consumed professional-use pesticides.

A number of local wildlife organisations and individuals have contributed to a £16,500 reward for anyone with information that leads to the conviction of the person responsible for the poisonings.

"States officers would like to reiterate that if someone were to come across an intoxicated, injured or dead bird of prey, please do not touch it with bare hands," a spokesperson for the States said. "Gloves should be worn to handle the bird."

Anyone who comes across an injured bird is asked to contact the GPSCA immediately on 257261. If the bird is dead, members of the public are asked to carefully place it inside two plastic bags and contact the States Vet on 711161 to organise collection.

Information concerning the misuse of pesticides can be reported to the Health & Safety Executive on 233555 or by emailing hse@gov.gg.

Pictured top: A common buzzard.