Pigeon 'used as bait' to kill rare Peregrine Falcon

Animal rights campaigners have described the use of a live pigeon to kill a Peregrine Falcon as a barbaric act.

The pigeon had been tethered and poisoned and used as live bait for the bird of prey in a mountainous area near Castlederg in Co Tyrone.

The pigeon was eaten and the falcon was poisoned.

Both birds were found dead by volunteers form the Northern Ireland Raptor Study group, which is dedicated to protecting birds of prey.

South Down MLA Jim Wells, who is a member of this group, was on site when this crime was uncovered earlier this month.

“This is a very nasty incident,” the DUP politician said. “It’s a successful attempt, unfortunately, to kill a very rare bird of prey.”

This falcon was the 58th bird of prey killed in Northern Ireland in the last eight years and a police investigation into its death is now underway.