Appeal for information issued by Police Scotland, 15 September 2026:
APPEAL AFTER RED KITE CAUGHT IN ILLEGAL TRAP – STRATHDON, ABERDEENSHIRE
Officers are appealing for information after a bird of prey was caught in an illegally set ‘Duke’ coil spring trap in May, 2026 in the Strathdon area of Aberdeenshire.
The trap set is not approved for use in Scotland.
Extensive enquiries have been carried out, and we are now appealing to the public for information.
Constable Ann Ashman said: “Red kites are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, and it is illegal to take, injure or kill a protected species.
“Trapping a bird or animal is not only cruel, but it can also harm other wildlife and members of the public.
“Enquiries are ongoing and we are appealing to anyone with information on the incident, or the use of this particular Duke coil spring trap in the area, to contact us.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident 1053 of 18 May, 2026. Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously.
ENDS
This appeal for information is pretty scant on details, although it’s helpful that Police Scotland provided a photo of the trap, which is a leg-hold trap with the same function as a gin trap, with which most readers will be familiar.
There’s no information about the circumstances of the discovery of the trapped Red Kite, nor of its fate. And it’s not clear why it’s taken four months for the appeal for information to be issued, although Police Scotland does say ‘extensive enquiries’ have been carried out.
The location is also quite vague – Strathdon sits on the edge of the north-east side of the Cairngorms National Park.
Blog readers will be familiar with the name – it has featured with regularity on this blog over many years, most recently after the collapse of a criminal trial against two local gamekeepers who had been accused of shooting Red Kites in the area.
The Strathdon area is a well-documented raptor persecution hotspot, where gamebird shooting (Red Grouse & Pheasants and Red-legged Partridges) is prominent. The continued persecution of birds of prey in this area is providing plenty of evidence to demonstrate that grouse shoot licensing is not effective as a deterrent.
Raptor Persecution UK 