A bird of prey which was found poisoned in Aberdeenshire suffered a “harrowing” death, police have said.
An appeal for information has been launched after the sparrowhawk was found dead near Lumphanan on Saturday.
It is believed to have been poisoned with an insecticide.
The sparrowhawk’s death comes after the disappearance of a satellite-tagged golden eagle in the south of Scotland, which vanished towards the end of August.
It is feared that the male eagle, Tarras, may have come to harm.
Sparrowhawks are abundant in Scotland but less common in the north of the country.
Constable Ann Ashman said: “From inquiries carried out so far, we know this sparrowhawk has been poisoned with insecticide carbosulfan, resulting in a harrowing death.
“Sparrowhawks are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and it is an offence to intentionally or recklessly kill or injure them.
“The use of carbosulfan is illegal, with the substance having been banned in the UK since 2008. This substance can cause death in humans, so its illegal use is extremely reckless.”
She added: “We are carrying out an investigation in relation to this incident and will be working with a range of partner organisations.
“The public has an important role to help up combat wildlife crime. If you see anything suspicious, please report it to us via 101, or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
