 Police believe the avocet was shot in the neck with an airgun |
The shooting of a rare wading bird found dead near Immingham docks has been condemned by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Post-mortem tests on the avocet found a wound in its neck that is thought to have been caused by an airgun pellet.
Avocets are protected by UK law and anyone convicted of the killing could face a fine of up to �5,000 or up to six months imprisonment.
The RSPB said avocets had only recently returned to nest on the Humber.
There are 1,300 nesting pairs in the UK, and of those about 200 pairs have settled on the estuary.
Pete Short from the RSPB, which uses the avocet as its emblem, said: "I fail to understand how anyone could want to deliberately kill such an elegant and attractive bird.
"The return of avocets to the Humber is a wonderful success story for the region and these birds give pleasure to tens of thousands of visitors to the area every year."
Police acknowledged that those responsible may not have known of the bird's rarity but said a crime had been committed and appealed for anyone with information to contact them.
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