Police probe after six buzzards found dead in field

A police investigation has been mounted after the shocking discovery of six buzzard carcasses in an Aberdeenshire field.

The remains of the protected birds were found at around 3.30pm on Wednesday afternoon on farmland around a mile from Fordoun on the unclassified road leading to Auchenblae.

Police Scotland released news of the grim find and said inquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The age of the birds has not been released as it is also not known at this stage how the buzzards may have been killed, or how recently.

The species is fully protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, making it an offence to kill, injure or take a buzzard, or to take, damage or destroy an active nest or its contents.

Conservationists have been quick to condemn the find, with the Raptor Persecution Scotland group describing the Mearns situation as “very suspicious”.

Anyone with any information should call Police on 101.