Derbyshire Constabulary are appealing for information about a dead buzzard that was found with twine forced through a hole in its beak to bind it shut.
The bird was found by a member of the public on April 11th on land near Turnditch. Police wildlife crime officers are working with the RSPB to investigate the circumstances of this bird’s death.
Wildlife Crime Officer PC Emerson Buckingham said: “This bird was most probably alive when it was attacked and may have starved to death as it would have been unable to eat or drink with its beak bound“.
Interestingly, Turnditch is just down the road from Idriedgehay and Kirk Ireton where a total of six buzzards were found poisoned in 2010 (see here).
Anyone with information is asked to contact PC Buckingham on (Tel: 101) or the RSPB (Tel: 0845 466 3636).
Well done to Derbyshire Constabulary for the publicity on this disgraceful crime. Press release here.
Thanks to @HowardJones88 for passing on the link to us.
Raptor Persecution UK 
Some humans are far worse than any animal, no other animal would be that cruel and barbaric.
I keep remembering the fact that serial killers [of humans] are often recorded as “practising” torturing animals before moving on…some of the crimes we see recorded on this site are deeply worrying.
Yes I agree, it’s a pity the law doesn’t put in just a fraction of the effort they would have put in to finding the culprits of this barbaric act if it had been done to a human.
In my opinion, I suspect that game-keepers and land managers are devising new loop-holes to deal with raptors that do not involve their direct destruction but involve maiming the bird then releasing it to suffer a ‘third party’ death. I have handled Buzzards before and cannot figure out why someone would do this because their beaks may gape but are not used to attack.
I must say I can’t honestly see a gamekeeper going to the trouble and spending time stitching up the beak of a bird of prey then leaving it to starve to death, I think they would more than likely just kill it and hide the evidence somewhere. It’s more than likely to be the work of some sadistic sick in the head individual who should be sectioned and locked up before his sick mind escalates his gruesome activities to people. If it is a gamekeeper then it’s a problem the police should be taking very seriously indeed, especially so when most keepers are in possession of firearms and deadly poisons.
Extremely sensible and balanced comments nirofo.
I totally agree