The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has confirmed that an adult bird of prey which was found dead in the Forkhill area of County Armagh earlier this year was poisoned.
The peregrine falcon had been found dead in the Forkhill area in June.
According to the PSNI the bird had been “retrieved” by its search and rescue team and had undergone testing to try and find out the exact circumstances of its death, these enquiries have been ongoing over the last number of months.
Constable Millen from the PSNI said: “We can now confirm the peregrine falcon found was poisoned with carbofuran which is very concerning.
“This is not only a dangerous substance but it has been banned since 2001.
“We would remind the public if there is a suspicion of a crime, such as poisoning on any bird of prey in their local area, to leave the bird(s) and or bait in situ and to call the police as soon as possible for officers to action.”
Carbofuran is a pesticide that was commonly used on insects and nematodes and is highly toxic to wildlife.
PSNI
Constable Millen also outlined that the PSNI has been working closely with its partners in the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, the National Wildlife Crime Unit and the Northern Ireland Raptor Study Group in relation to the death of the peregrine falcon.
The PSNI has said that it will continue working together with these organisations “in the hope to find those responsible”.
In Northern Ireland all nesting birds, their eggs and young are protected by law from disturbance and destruction.Â
RSPB
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has repeatedly called for “stronger pesticide legislation and greater resourcing” for the PSNI to stop bird of prey persecution.
Birds of prey – also known as raptors – are protected by law under the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985.
Its latest UK Bird Crime Report, which covers the past 15 years, showed that 1,344 birds of prey were illegally killed between 2009 to 2023.
According to the charity “these criminal acts target threatened species including white-tailed eagles, hen harriers and red kites”.
“There were 89 confirmed incidents in Northern Ireland in the past 15 years, yet not a single prosecution,” it highlighted in October of this year.
“Currently, there is not enough being done to tackle this issue and wildlife crime as a whole,” the RSPB has warned.
According to the charity a quarter of a teaspoon of carbofuran is enough to kill a human and while it has been banned in the UK since 2001, carbofuran continues to be detected in bird of prey persecution incidents.
