Statement on red kite
28th February 2025

The Cairngorms National Park Authority has issued the following statement in relation to the death of a red kite in the Glenbuchat area of Strathdon:
“The Park Authority have been informed by Police Scotland that a red kite was found dead in the Glenbuchat area of Strathdon earlier this month. Police Scotland have confirmed that the red kite had been shot.
“The Park Authority condemns the illegal killing of raptors in the strongest possible terms. Raptor persecution has no place in 21st century Scotland but sadly incidents such as this are still taking place. It is an unacceptable crime that not only harms our raptor populations, but also damages the reputation of those land managers that act lawfully and work hard to care for wildlife.
“We are committed to working with partners to make sure the National Park is a safe haven for raptors and to establish the full circumstances of this incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0846 of Thursday 27 February. Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously.”
Find more details here on the Police Scotland website.