Bird of prey found with gunshot wounds is released back into the wild

The injured red kite, a large, adult female, was found on farmland at Low Marishes, north of Malton in March.

Jean Thorpe, a local conservationist who rescues and rehabilitates injured wildlife, said the bird had slight wounds to both wings and a small amount of blood in her mouth.

Ms Thorpe took the bird to be X-rayed the next day by Mark Naguib, wildlife and falconry vet, at Battleflatts Veterinary Surgery in Stamford Bridge and it was found to have been shot with a shotgun, with a pellet “clearly visible” near the bird’s throat.

Following 25 days in rehab, the red kite was released on the Wolds last week.

Ms Thorpe said it had been a spectacular sight.

“It had been touch and go if she would recover and fly again,” she added.

“But she was released on the Wolds with Robert Fuller taking the photographs and Jack Ashton-Booth, birder and raptor specialist, doing the release.

“I looked on nervously, hoping she would maintain flight. All was well, there was much relief all round and she flew well, gained height and was off. It was wonderful.” Ms Thorpe said a male buzzard which was found on farmland near North Frodingham, East Yorkshire, was also faring well.

“The one-year-old buzzard had nicks throughout the flight feathers, indicating the bird has been illegally shot by a gun shot, breaking one wing in two places.

“His wings have been pinned and are healing. I do hope this bird will have the same outcome as the beautiful kite.”

Red kites are protected by law under schedule one of the Wildlife and Countryside Act which stipulates it is “an offence to take, injure or kill a red kite or to take, damage or destroy its nest, eggs or young”.

Red kites have come back from near extinction in the UK in the last 50 years, from a population of about 20 pairs in Wales. They were extinct in England and Scotland. There are now estimated to be about 1,800 breeding pairs in Britain, which is about seven per cent of the world population.