A RARE pair of goshawks fled their nest and left their chicks to die after being repeatedly disturbed by men.

An investigation has been launched after a covert camera trained on a nesting site near Helmsley, North Yorkshire, caught a man repeatedly hitting the nest tree with a large stick in April last year.

This appeared to be a clear attempt to flush the incubating bird off the nest.

On two occasions the following month, a man is seen on the video and the sound of gunshots is heard, along with the repeated alarm calls of the parent birds.

The nesting attempt subsequently failed and the four cold eggs were later recovered from the nest after a visit by the police.

Analysis showed one of the eggs had a fully formed chick inside.

Ryedale wildlife rescuer Jean Thorpe described the incident as "appalling" and said it was time for rural communities to "step up" and identify those responsible.

She added: "The chicks inside were well on, so they have not only disturbed two goshawks, but also killed four goshawk chicks.

"Why on earth would somebody do that? What are they thinking?

"Somebody in that area will know who they are, without a doubt, and we hope they come forward."

Goshawks are secretive, forest-dwelling hunters and there are very few nesting pairs in North Yorkshire, despite plenty of available habitat.

They are legally protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it is an offence to intentionally or recklessly disturb the birds at the nest site during the breeding season unless under a government licence.

Howard Jones, RSPB Investigations Officer, said: “We are very concerned that this was an attempt to shoot the goshawks or disturb the adults to make them desert the nest site.

"Goshawks are magnificent birds and should be widespread throughout North Yorkshire.

"The idea that people are deliberately trying to destroy nests and prevent them from raising chicks is beyond belief.

“Birds of prey in the North York Moors National Park are at a huge risk of persecution, and this county consistently proves the worst in the country for the illegal killing of birds of prey.

"This latest evidence shows the pressures they continue face."

Mr Jones said the charity was grateful to the police for their investigation and Acting Inspector Kevin Kelly said they were continually working with other agencies on 'Operation Owl' to crackdown on raptor persecution across North Yorkshire.

He said that incidents such as the goshawk disturbance would not be tolerated by the police.

  • Anyone with information should call 101 or the RSPB’s Raptor Crime Hotline in confidence on 0300-999101.
  • Suspicions that wild birds are being illegally killed should be reported to RSPB investigations on 01767-680551.