Protected bird of prey shot 10 times in Bedfordshire

An x-ray of the red kite. Credit: RSPB.

A red kite was found dead in Bedfordshire with 10 pieces of lead shot embedded in its body.

The bird of prey was found at Daintry Wood near near Toddington by a member of the public.

X-rays were carried out by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and revealed the 10 pieces of shot.

Red kites are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act and the RSPB is appealing for information.

RSPB officer Jenny Shelton said it was likely the bird had been hit at close range.

A red kite. Credit: Press Association Images.

Although a fairly common sight in Bedfordshire now - thanks to one of the world’s most successful reintroduction schemes - in the 1980s red kites were one of the UK’s rarest breeding birds.