A golden eagle found dead on the Angus hills was poisoned, police have revealed.
The alarm was raised after satellitetracking equipment indicated it had remained in the same place in Glen Lethnot for several days.
Officers from RSPB Scotland found the bird of prey dead less than three weeks after it moved to the Angus glens.
The eagle, given the name Fearnan, was ringed as a chick in a nest near Loch Tay in June 2011 and spent much of its life in Badenoch, before moving to the Angus glens in early November.
Stuart Housden, director of RSPBScotland, condemned those responsible for killing the bird of prey and he called for greater protection for the bird from theScottish Government.
He said: “This appalling incident,involving a species recently voted as the nation’s favourite bird, marks a dreadful end to the Year of Natural Scotland.
“We have recently submitted a petition to the Scottish Government, asking for the golden eagle to be officially designated as the national bird of Scotland.Gallery: The life and sad death of Fearnan the golden eagle“Incidents such as this show very clearly why this iconic bird needs not just ourrecognition, but also greater protection.
“We sincerely hope that thoseresponsible are swiftly brought to justice and would encourage those with information to come forward.”
The incident is the latest in a number involving birds of prey in Angus.
In the past five and a halfyears another four eagles, ared kite and seven buzzardshave been shot, poisoned ortrapped on sporting estatesin the Angus glens.
In January the nest tree ofa pair of white-tailed eagleswas felled, and no one hasbeen prosecuted for any ofthe offences.
Mr Housden said:“I will be asking theenvironment spokespersonof all the parties in theScottish Parliament totake cross-party action tostiffen the penalties forthose convicted of suchoffences and to look againat the regulation of sportshooting.”
Police are appealing foranyone walking in the areabetween November 10 and25 to come forward.