POLICE are declaring war on those who persecute birds of prey after another rare bird was shot and injured in North Yorkshire.

The county suffers one of the highest levels of bird persecution in the country and the county’s police have joined forces with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to call for an end to the practice.

In the latest incident a farmer found a wounded buzzard on land at Dallow, near Pateley Bridge, on Tuesday and it was taken to a rehabilitation centre for treatment.

The bird was found to be suffering from a shotgun wound and two pellets were lodged in its leg, which had been fractured by the impact. It had also sustained broken flight feathers and was extremely malnourished.

The buzzard has had to be tube-fed but should make a full recovery after a period of nursing and a course of antibiotics.

The county’s wildlife crime co-ordinator, PC Mark Rasbeary, said: "It is completely unacceptable that birds of prey are still being persecuted in this manner.

"We should be proud that these fantastic birds are living in our area, and they should be enjoyed, instead of being killed and injured by a mindless minority of people.

"We are determined to put a stop to such barbaric behaviour and help to preserve the numbers of these great birds that frequent our county."

According to the RSPB some 64 birds of prey, many of them rare, have been deliberately killed in North Yorkshire since 1990 and yesterday the charity reacted with horror to the latest incident.

Investigations officer James Leonard said: "It is absolutely appalling that another bird of prey has been shot in North Yorkshire.

"Over the last 20 years, our records show that North Yorkshire has the highest number of confirmed and reported incidents of bird of prey persecution.

"Persecution of birds of prey has been illegal for over 50 years and attitudes towards these magnificent birds have to change, it is destroying our national heritage."

Anyone with any information that could help the investigation into the injured buzzard or would like to report any other incidents can contact police on 0845 6060 247 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

For more information on wildlife crime visit northyorkshire.police.uk/wildlifecrime