The RSPB is blaming gamekeepers for the record number of red kites that have been poisoned this year and accuses them of using banned pesticides indiscriminately.

The wildlife protection agency says today that this year has been the worst for a decade and a half for the rare bird of prey, with official figures showing that 11 birds have been poisoned deliberately, nine of which were found on shooting estates. But it says that it is “highly likely” that the figures are “a conservative representation” of the number of illegal killings.

The RSPB says that the figures also show that 74 per cent of all those prosecuted successfully for wildlife crime in Britain over the past decade have been involved in game shooting and that more than half of all illegal killings of birds of prey in Britain took place in Scotland.

“Although there are many sporting estates that run commendable shoots that have no part in persecution, a minority are still routinely laying poison baits in the open countryside, even though the practice has been illegal since the early 1990s,” the agency said in statement.

“It is highly likely that the figures are a conservative representation of the levels of illegal persecution taking place in the Scottish countryside, as the corpses of deliberately killed red kites are more likely to be hidden or disposed of than those that have died naturally, and the remains of some birds are too decomposed for a conclusive postmortem.”

The red kite, once a common sight all over Britain, was on the brink of disappearing until its reintroduction in the late 1980s and early 1990s in controlled breeding schemes. There are now about 80 breeding pairs in Scotland.

Tension between the RSPB and sporting estates has increased noticeably, but the RSPB’s frustration appeared to boil over last month when it said that a missing sea eagle, released as part of a reintroduction programme, was killed deliberately.

Although no remains have been found, police believe that the bird was killed on a sporting estate that had been “at the centre of concerns over illegal practices”.

Of the 11 red kites killed illegally this year, five were found in Perthshire, two in Stirlingshire, and one each in Inverness-shire, South Lanarkshire, Nairn and Moray.

The RSPB says that it is concerned particularly about gamekeeping practices in Perthshire. Three red kites were found dead there only last month, with wildlife officers believing that the birds had most likely eaten a carcass laced with poison.

In 2001 there were ten red kites killed illegally.

Duncan Orr-Ewing, head of species at RSPB Scotland, says that there has been a “big resurgence” of poisonings, “which has had a devastating impact on some of our rarest birds of prey”.

“This regrettable activity has hit red kites particularly hard, but they are not the only victims,” he says. “Everyone will recall that in August the poisoners succeeded in killing one half of the last remaining breeding pair of golden eagles in the Scottish Borders.

“We have seen recent welcome statements from landowning bodies condemning wildlife crime. It is time for this to be turned into real action on the ground, and landowners must take more responsibility for the actions of their employees to stamp out this practice once and for all.”

The RSPB says that if it was not for this kind of illegal activity, red kites would be widespread across the whole of Scotland.

Michael Russell, the Scottish Environment Minister, says: “This was an appalling year for the persecution of birds of prey in Scotland, not least the red kite. Since its reintroduction, this iconic bird has become a vital part of our biodiversity. Deliberately killing them is totally unacceptable.

“A review of the investigation and prosecution of wildlife crime is under way, which I hope will go some way to stamping out these disgraceful incidents.”

A report published by the RSPB in September said that 2006 was the worst year in 25 years for the poisoning of all birds of prey. There were 42 confirmed killings, more than double the 19 confirmed in 2005.

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