A MAN has been fined £250 after he tried to sell one of the UK's rarest birds through a free advertisements paper.

Peter Hill, 25, was caught out after his advert for the female common buzzard was spotted by a bird lover, who informed police.

Yesterday, Hill was fined £250 and ordered to pay costs after the incident, in November last year.

Sunderland Magistrates' Court heard that a prospective buyer had inspected the bird, which was advertised as a captive buzzard.

However the man - who had 32-years' experience of birds of prey - realised that the bird did not have rings around its legs, as a captive one would.

He also noticed that the buzzard's legs were dirty, its eyes were not round and bright, and that the bird's wings were drooping.

The buyer asked Hill for documents to prove the authenticity of the bird, which Hill said he could not find.

The man paid £60 for the bird, but contacted his local wildlife liaison officer.

Paul Power, prosecuting, told the court: "As a result of seeing the bird's weak conditions, the witness became concerned for its welfare.

"The leather anklets and jesses were also covered in filth and there were not any rings around the legs at all."

The court heard that Hill had bought the buzzard for £60, after seeing it advertised in a magazine.

Although he had fed it, he only exercised the bird on a short lead.

Hill, of Commercial Road, Sunderland, admitted possessing a live wild bird, offering it for sale, keeping it for sale, and selling the buzzard.

In mitigation, Geoff Lockerbie told the court: "The bird was not malnourished in any way.

"Mr Hill looked after it as best he could, but I think his lack of experience is the crux of this case.

"He quite clearly was led astray by the person from whom he bought the bird."

The magistrates fined Hill, who is self-employed, £250 for possessing the bird and made no separate penalties on the other charges.

He was also ordered to pay £75 costs and £60 compensation to the man who bought the buzzard.