Short-eared Owl Shot on Moor: An Eyewitness Account

In 2022, a Short-eared Owl was shot on Broomhead Moor in the Peak District. This shocking crime was witnessed by a birdwatcher, who shares his experience in this video.
His fast actions led to a police search and investigation, assisted by the RSPB Investigations unit. While it was not possible to identify who shot the owl, this is yet more proof that raptor persecution is continuing to happen on driven grouse moors.
The RSPB would also like to thank South Yorkshire Police for their rapid response and thorough investigation.
We rely on the eyes of the public, and urge anyone who sees something like this to call the police on 101 in the first instance, then contact the RSPB via this form or call the RSPB’s confidential Raptor Crime Hotline on 0300 999 0101.

[@Beak_to_lens]

This is disgusting that people think this is ok, needs to be stoped many thanks to rspb and everyone who helped.❤

[@richardjohnson5529]

All grouse moore shooting should be banned as should all forms of hunting, its not a sport its inhuman and barbaric.

[@judyparsons1333]

Instead of animal rising protesting about what people should eat they should let all the grouse out of the cages only then would they have my support

[@user-qk2zg7rj9v]

So sad & shocking that they can't prosecute the individual responsible :(

[@richardjohnson5529]

These criminal inhumans must not be allowed to detroy our wildlife and nature.

[@stephenholmes1036]

It wasnt proven listen to the report

[@malcolm21]

What a pathetic, out-dated 'industry'. The blood-lust that some humans have can't allow any natural 'competition'. Here in W. Canada, a pair of Short-eared Owls attracted photographers from afar, being so rare to see. Hopefully, such perpetrators in UK will be caught and dealt with appropriate justice.

[@stratosphericozone2645]

One of the many reasons why Driven Grouse shooting should be banned. Licensing fails to acknowledge that Driven Grouse shooting is dependent on bird of prey persecution along with unsustainable and environmentally damaging land management practices. This form of shooting pushes gamekeepers and shooting estates into crime. It is in everyone’s interest to ban it. Licensing will fail unless it forces shooting estates to abandon Driven Grouse shooting. Everyone should be honest that no Driven Grouse shooting can coexist with healthy bird of prey populations and sustainable land management it is an impossibility.

[@smiffy5467]

Absolutely criminal and all in the name of so called sport, grouse shooting should be banned on open moorland but it won’t be because of all the rich toffs that do it…

[@mysticmonkeyman]

Keep up the good work RSPB investigations. You are doing the police's job for them. It's a big part of a gamekeepers job, killing predators. What a disgusting, lavish display of humans' domination of wildlife.

[@richardortyl7550]

Absolutely disgusting. The park authority and national trust should be prosecuted for vicarious liability. Its obviously too easy for criminals to get firearms. This has gone on far too long.

[@susandennis347]

Well done for reporting this awful crime. We must keep on fighting these hooligans and lobbying our MPs to restrict driven grouse moors

[@stephenholmes1036]

Alleged crime

[@sidensvans67]

Shocking and disgraceful . In the breeding season too .

[@Chris-gx5go]

Sadly it's all about money. If game shooting were banned then there wouldn't be a need for gamekeepers and therefore there wouldn't be any justification in shooting the raptors.

[@charliebrown5524]

Gamekeepers kill raptors all the time,should be locked up and shut the shoot down.😬

[@alanmcmillan6969]

Terrible news. That is unexcusible. Get the ba***rd.

[@debby26]

That is so sad The whole bird shooting thing is awful. I just don't see what they get out of it 😢

[@judyparsons1333]

We all know it's land owners and gamekeepers licences need to be issued to them,it's difficult to prove unfortunately would drones help in this

[@Solstice261]

They get a bigger grouse stock, so even if the effect they have is minimal most gamekeepers will continue persecuting birds of prey out of habit and then just call everyone who denounces them a townie, because god knows the shooting industry has more bad apples than good ones. I suppose it also favours them not having birds that control populations of rats and small mammals and that way they get more work. Honestly if a bird of prey is killed in an estate, licenses should be taken away immediately and permanently. Land owners from shooting estates aren't poor and their industry doesn't need the protection it gets

[@stephenholmes1036]

This is an unproven allegation

[@stephenholmes1036]

​@@Solstice261absolute rubbish

[@judyparsons1333]

@@stephenholmes1036 do you really think people are stupid,if gamekeepers lose many grouse,pheasants to raptors chances are they won't last long in the job, people have put in a huge amount of effort to bring some breeds back then to have them start disappearing again

[@janefletcher1391]

This is just abhorrent. It’s time that these offences against wildlife receive harsher prosecutions. Grouse shoots should be banned . Shooting for pleasure, it’s barbaric

[@markgriffiths6638]

This is happening for too often. The gamekeeper works for someone so fine them a hefty fine the land owners are responsible for their land

[@user-gb5vi3go6i]

I've known this area a long time: when peregrines used to nest at the top of the valley, goshawks soared over the woodlands and it was a guaranteed winter harrier roost. Then everything suddenly changed and they all disappeared. I wonder why?

[@garrenharris3428]

Disgraceful! I wish we could have the resources to employ rangers on protected lands to stop these people persecuting our wildlife populations.

[@patrickr2790]

Thanks RSPB. The game bird industry has shown it cannot self-regulate, really there should be tougher firearms licensing laws (including air guns) and stricter laws about shooting animals in general. Time for change

[@user-wh8tn1cb3r]

Springwatch showed video footage of a gamekeeper beating a buzzard to death after he had trapped it in a cage but the guy still only received a fine so you know damn well that it will never stop unless there are serious consequences to the actions of these absolute scumbags 🤬

[@Twitcher999]

The sooner all grouse moors are licensed the better 😡

[@richardortyl7550]

It's archaic cruelty. Game shooting should be resigned to the history books and the land returned to the community

[@mysticmonkeyman]

Banned, not licensed

[@Twitcher999]

@@richardortyl7550 Don’t get me wrong, I’m no fan of the shooting industry and seem to spend half my life arguing with them on social media, re raptor persecution. However even the RSPB isn’t pushing for a complete ban, as managed grouse moors, do support other wildlife of conservation concern. If all shooting suddenly ceases then the land likely switches to sheep grazing, which benefits no one inc the wildlife. They also recognise that rural communities and livelihoods will be effected. They recently published a paper on their preferred approach, which is licensed grouse moors, mostly on the basis of walk up shooting, where the shooter enters the moor and is allowed to take a brace of birds. This is much more sustainable, than driven grouse shooting, where the estates, try to produce Grouse numbers at non-natural levels, where anything that gets in the way is exterminated both legally and illegally! If the terms of license are broken e.g illegal raptor persecution, then the license gets pulled.

[@Solstice261]

​@@Twitcher999that ignores that raptor persecution will still happen illegally and unnoticed, there will still be a benefit to keep large numbers of grouse to the detriment of the ecosystem. And honestly in natural parks you should only be able to hunt to manage deer populations and such, UK national parks are some of the least natural areas in Europe

[@stephenholmes1036]

​@@mysticmonkeyman unproven

[@user-pc5gm5pw2z]

Heartbreaking hope whoever shot this bird is cursed for all time

[@erikajakins7394]

So sad😢😢

[@katharinebarrett4929]

This is so sad and happens too often , more should be done to stop the game keepers doing this .

[@stephenholmes1036]

The word is allegation this has not be proven in court

[@thatcrayonmonkey]

it's not 'alleged' that someone shot that owl - that's fact