The RSPCA has issued an appeal for information following the discovery of a dead buzzard that is believed to have been shot.
The buzzard was found by a member of the public near Severn Trent’s Four Ashes Sewage Treatment Works on Enterprise Drive, Wolverhampton, on Wednesday 12 March 2025. It reportedly had ‘pellet wounds to its wing, body and head‘.
There isn’t any information about the type of weapon used (e.g. air rifle, shotgun etc). There were also reports of a second buzzard being killed in the same area but the RSPCA was unable to find a body.
Anyone with information about this incident should contact RSPCA’s appeal line number on 0300 123 8018, quoting incident number 01467643.
Raptor Persecution UK 
Try looking on social media at the delinquents between the ages of 8 and 16. I understand its all the rage with these filthy little toe rags now to kill birds and indeed animals using slingshot or a catapault and ball bearings and put them up on tick tock paraded with pride. It is truly sick. Next stop of course is people. xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx.
Did you read the article? Shotgun pellets! Much more likely to be someone “country born and bred” than an urban hooligan!
Hi Simon,
The article doesn’t mention ‘shotgun pellets’, it clearly states that the type of weapon used hasn’t been reported.
‘Country born and bred’ is right about the increase in targeted attacks on wildlife by young people using catapults and then posting their crimes on TikTok. It’s been well reported for over a year and is at such a level that there’s a national police/RSPCA response called ‘Operation Lakeshot’.
That’s not to say that’s how this buzzard was killed – we don’t know because no further detail has been published.
Oops! My prejudice showing. A Buzzard I ringed in north Wiltshire was shot in a country park up there, with a shotgun. Guess it has rather jaundiced my opinion, rather than blaming youths.
…no but it does say ‘reportedly with pellet wounds.’ Whether this is air rifle or shotgun is unknown, it may come out if there’s an autopsy. I doubt the buzzard would have stuck around for more shots after the first one from an air rifle (it states multiple wounds found) unless the first shot was in the head and the rest of the shots because they were still ‘flapping’ / twitching on the ground. Although less common you can get 7 shot repeater air rifles that fire in a rapid enough succession to have caught the buzzard several times (maybe even 12 shot I’m not sure) but I think multiple pellet wounds are most likely to be a shotgun though I may be wrong.
I doubt a buzzard would let people close enough to take a shot with a slingshot or catapult. I’ve read about catapults being used to kill birds at wildfowl parks (mainly to maim or kill swans) and also read about people using them to kill squirrels (if they stay still long enough)