North Yorkshire Police has issued the following press statement:
APPEAL FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE SHOOTING OF A RED KITE
North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Task Force is appealing for witnesses and information about the shooting of a Red Kite which happened near Westerdale, on the North York Moors.
The Red Kite, which was suffering from gunshot wounds, was found by a member of the public on Tuesday 13 June. Despite being immediately taken to the vets it needed to be put to sleep due to the extent of its injuries. The wounds were fresh suggesting it had been shot recently.
It is against the law to intentionally kill, injure or take wild birds.
North Yorkshire Police is requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding this incident. In particular anyone who witnessed shooting in the Westerdale area on either Monday 12 or Tuesday 13 June 2023.
Anyone with information that could assist with this investigation should email Jack.donaldson@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask to speak to Jack Donaldson.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12230107850 when passing on information.
North Yorkshire has the highest incidence of raptor (birds of prey) persecution of any English county. The dedicated Rural Taskforce and specially-trained wildlife officers are committed to stopping these crimes and bringing offenders to justice.
Operation Owl is a joint initiative by North Yorkshire Police, RSPB, RSPCA and the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales National Parks.
People can help by being their eyes and ears out on the moors and dales. If you spot a dead or injured bird, poisoned bait or a pole trap, please note the location, take a photo and call North Yorkshire Police on 101 to report it.
ENDS
I’m assuming this is the same red kite that was reported in the papers yesterday morning (here), although those reports had identified the location as ‘the Whitby area’, which is nowhere near Westerdale, but the time and date are the same.
Yesterday’s reports also stated the red kite had been found ‘in suspicious circumstances’. I don’t know who wrote that earlier report but it wasn’t at all helpful, accurate or informative.
The later press release from North Yorkshire Police, as reproduced above, is much better, especially the speed with which it’s been published. It’s also good to see the police provide some context to this crime, discussing Operation Owl, the extent of these crimes in this grouse shooting hell hole (supposedly a National Park), the types of evidence people may see, and what to do about it if they do see it.
It’s unlikely to lead to anyone coming forward though. There’ll be the usual wall of silence from the grouse-shooting community, who persistently refuse to provide any assistance in wildlife crime investigations, and it would be unusual if a member of the public had witnessed anything in such a remote landscape and been able to identify the person pulling the trigger.
Meanwhile, however, the pressure, and evidence, continues to mount on DEFRA Ministers to recognise that raptor persecution is a widespread issue and people are getting more and more pissed off that the shooting industry is allowed to get away with such blatant criminality, time and time and time again.
UPDATE 4th July 2023: 2nd red kite found shot nr Westerdale in North York Moors National Park in recent weeks, with suspicions of a third one (here)
UPDATE 9th October 2023: Buzzard shot & critically injured in North York Moors National Park (here)
Raptor Persecution UK 
Has an ortopsy been done on the bird at all yet?
Was it a shotgun or rifle?
What size and how many shot were in the bird if shot?
Was it likely to have dropped immediately or travelled any distance?
Someone shot this magnificent bird and thinks they did a good job. This horrible mindset/culture must change otherwise it could be back to extinction for Red Kite in England.
All firearm carriers should be monitored by ‘big brother’ .
North Yorkshire and a National Park yet again!
A very densely keepered area, I am sure with a pro-active attitude someone among the keepering community could provide something useful. Kites are not common there and would stick out a mile so even if it is just reports of recent sightings (provide times & locations to Op Owl / RSPB / Police, etc) it would be a useful gesture, would it not? The regional “Moorland Group” (NYMMO) could also publicise. These are the real things they need to be doing all the time if they want to be taken seriously on the biggest “elephant in the room” issue.
Also, BASC’s Gareth Dockerty rubs shoulders with the keepers around there too, so perhaps he could help with publicity on BASC website (if he has sorted out his plumber issues!)
We need proper punishment for these crimes game keepers getting fines for shooting and poisoning our protected birds of prey it’s disgusting this country’s law is a joke
Isn’t the only answer to this to legislate to ban driven grouse shooting from national parks? This industry despoils vast areas of our national parks for the purpose of killing birds raised in semi-captivity? Given that the industry contributes nothing to society (other than a few seasonal and poorly paid temp jobs) and does so much harm to the environment and nature, I cannot see any reasonable argument for allowing it to continue in these areas.
I agree , all wild life should be safe in our national parks and shooting, trapping, poisoning etc. needs to be banned.
Same area where a buzzard was found suspected of being caught in a spring trap if my memory serves me right
Was at Abingdon airfield on Friday at a car event. Floating on a thermal above I couldn’t believe my eyes, were a pair of red kites, completely ignoring the noise and hundreds of people below them. Occasionally they dropped to the ground to pick up something.
It seems ironic they are safe in these areas and not in others.
I’ve lived around these moors for 25 years and nothing has changed in that time.These birds have been persecuted all this time , money is king here, landowners and gamekeepers and the shooting industry have always been above the law and like previous comments made the law in this country is a joke so are the government and many bodies who are in place to protect them . They have no protection only determination and persistence from people like us to expose things. It abhorrent in this day and age.
[Ed: comment deleted as libellous]
It has now become 3 dead kites in same area. Have took great pleasure in watching these birds and have hoped that they would settle in the Cleveland area. No chance now. Absolute bas****s.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0dpee0dw1yo