THE North has been identified as one of the worst blackspots in England for crimes against wild birds.

North Yorkshire and Northumbria were singled out as leading the bird crime league of shame, with reports of shooting, trapping and poisoning continuing to rise.

The situation has become so bad that the RSPB has taken on a full-time investigations officer to work in the area.

Across the country as a whole, according to the charity's Birdcrime report, there were 1,109 reported incidents relating to wild birds last year, an increase of more than 50 per cent on the previous year's total of 726.

Of particular concern was the number of crimes reported against birds of prey, including some of the UK's most spectacular birds, such as peregrine falcons, buzzards, hen harriers, kestrels and goshawks.

In the RSPB's northern region, there were 273 reported incidents last year, of which 99 involved birds of prey. In 2005, there were 137 reported incidents in total.

The 35 incidents recorded in North Yorkshire included reports of the illegal shooting of birds of prey, the mysterious disappearance of buzzard chicks, and the illegal use of poison to kill birds.

In Northumberland, the 24 incidents reported included the poisoning of a barn owl near Wooler, the shooting of a peregrine falcon, and the suspected shooting of a hen harrier,

The North is regarded as an important area for threatened species of birds of prey, such as hen harriers. The most common incident reported was shootings and attempted shootings of wild birds.

The second most common was intentional nest destructions.

RSPB spokesman David Hirst said: "It beggars belief that people are still taking the law into their own hands this way, shooting, trapping and poisoning.

"What goes unreported is that quite a lot of pets have also died because of it as well. It is not only illegal -it is horrendous and appalling."

The charity's regional conservation manager, Peter Robertson, said: "After 25 years of legal protection, we should be seeing dramatic cuts in wildlife crime.

"Of particular concern is the number of reported crimes against birds of prey in northern England.

"Although the populations of some birds of prey are making progress, others are hampered by persecution.

"For example, in some parts of the North, we have seen a welcome increase in the peregrine falcon population, but this is not the picture everywhere.

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