BIRDS of prey across the region are being accidentally poisoned by landowners, farmers and pest controllers, according to conservation experts.

In a bid to raise awareness of the problem, which is affecting red kites, buzzards, barn owls and kestrels, English Nature and the RSPB have mounted a joint campaign.

Both are concerned about the accidental poisoning and widespread contamination of birds of prey by the latest second generation chemicals used to control rats and mice.

Red kites, now found in North Yorkshire, and small populations of barn owls, kestrels and buzzards also found in County Durham and Cleveland, are seen as an important and highly valued part of our wildlife.

But by eating poisoned rats and mice, they are building up fatal doses of toxins.

Buzzards and red kites are particularly vulnerable as they mainly scavenge on dead animals, increasing the risk of being poisoned.

While English Nature and the RSPB recognise the importance of controlling and preventing infestations of rats and mice on farms and other countryside businesses, they want to encourage a more responsible attitude to the problem.

A new leaflet is now available offering practical ways to minimise rodent infestations and giving guidance on how to use rodenticides more safely.

David Hirst, spokesman for the RSPB, told the D&S Times that birds could be wiped out unless action was taken.

He said: "Red kites, which were released as part of a project in Yorkshire in 1999, now number 58, but many have died through poisoning, some of which could be mass use of rodenticides.

"The second generation rodenticides get into the bird's food chain and a build-up of the poison kills the bird.

"They are all protected species and farmers and landowners need to be more aware of how to prevent further deaths."

Further information and a copy of the leaflet, Rat poison and the threat to birds of prey, is available from English Nature and the RSPB.

ADVICE TO FARMERS

* Survey the site for centres of infestation, including runs and feeding areas, both before and during treatments;

* Where birds of prey (especially red kites) are present, consider using control methods other than anticoagulant rodenticides;

* When using anticoagulant rodenticides, consider your choice of product carefully. In areas where there is no evidence that rats have developed resistance, first generation rodenticides are thought to pose a lower risk to birds of prey;

* Where advice indicates that rats have developed resistance to second generation products, avoid all anticoagulants and seek expert help;

* Use rodenticide bait only for as long as is necessary to achieve satisfactory control. Remove all bait at the end of the treatment period - if a bait box is not used, use bait trays to facilitate bait removal;

* Ensure that bait is sufficiently protected to avoid accidentally poisoning other mammals and birds - use natural materials where available;

* It is essential to carry out regular searches for rodent bodies both during and after the treatment period. Bodies may be found several days after eating the bait and may die up to 100m or more away from the bait site;

* Dispose of rodent bodies by burning or burying, as directed by the product label instructions