Pigeon fanciers' homes raided in peregrine falcon poison probe UK

[Donna]

Four pigeon fanciers' homes were raided today by police probing the poisoning of rare peregrine falcons.

Racers and keepers are believed to be targeting the birds of prey because they are killing the smaller birds, the RSPB said.

Police officers from Avon and Somerset, South Wales, Northumbria and West Midlands police forces raided the homes of four pigeon keepers in a coordinated operation today. A 47-year-old man was arrested in Northumbria, the bird protection charity added.

Peregrine falcons swoop on racing pigeons as they are returning to their lofts. There are now around 3,000 peregrine falcons in the UK, depending on the time of year, the charity said.

Mark Thomas, an RSPB investigations officer, said: "The peregrine falcon is one of the UK's most heavily persecuted birds of prey, and we hope that today's operation will help further our investigations."

The Mirror

[Bobbie Ireland]

"A multiagency operation investigating alleged crimes against peregrine falcons has been launched across four police areas in England and Wales."

http://www.rspb.org.uk/news/304085-police-swoop-to-investigate-alleged-peregrine-persecution