Every report of a shot raptor is shameful, but there’s just something even more senseless about shooting a kestrel.
[Photo by Annette Cutts]
A kestrel has been shot and killed in the Pudsey area of Leeds, West Yorkshire, according to a tweet from West Yorkshire Police’s Leeds Wildlife and Rural Crime Team today.
No further details have been made available yet, i.e. date, specific location or type of weapon etc.
If anyone has any information please contact West Yorkshire Police on 101 and quote the crime reference number #13200496679.
Raptor Persecution UK 
It’s pathetic isn’t it!
Despicable – yet another gun-toting moron unable to resist temptation.
The question being how are they managing to walk round armed and no one reports it ?
Right in the heart of racing pigeon territory too.
Lets all put up a nest box and give them a better chance, I had a Kestrel nest in one of mine for a few years, Kestrels have declined this last few years I think, from what ive seen.
Has anyone got suggestion how to report this kind of crime,I’m guessing this particular case was reported as the body of this unfortunate bird was found?
It’s must have been shot in daylight so there may have witnesses. Walkers,dog walkers and hikers may witness these shootings but would not approach anyone with a gun?
The thug that shot the Kestrel is quite possibly one of that group of psychopaths who hold the perverted, but not uncommon, belief that the presence of a gun can improve any situation.
He (I presume) is an unpredictable delinquent who could easily take pot shots at any animal or even a child IF he felt sure that he could escape apprehension.
Clearly a nauseating hoodlum who is trouble looking for somewhere to happen. He has to be stopped.
The sad thing is that these criminals are so stupid as to think every raptor is a problem but not so stupid as to commit these abhorrent crimes when there are witnesses. Of course we don’t know what sort of weapon was used but I would thing probably a high powered airgun with silencer. Perhaps the culprit could do us all a favour by shooting himself preferably not in the head as that clearly has no contents.
The kids with air-rifles at my school in Yorkshire would have done this for ‘fun’.
They should shoot the person that shot this magnificent bird I love kestrels
What a shame; kestrels are beautiful birds and mainly keep down small rodents.