Iolo Williams has backed the nestwatch scheme

The birds of prey have been targeted for many years by egg thieves and by pigeon fanciers, who claim peregrines prey on their racing birds.

Mr Williams spoke passionately against the persecution of the "Ferrari" of the bird world at the nestwatch launch at the Dare Valley Country Park, Aberdare, south Wales.

The surveillance camera will provide added protection to the site and transmit pictures of chicks hatching back to the park's visitor centre.

The camera will film the nest

"I get very annoyed about this issue, big time," said Mr Williams. "When I worked for the RSPB, I used to get telephone calls from pigeon fanciers who would threaten me.

"But I did not care because it really annoyed me that people would go out of their way to destroy these birds."

He believes the Nestwatch scheme - jointly run by the RSPB, RSPCA, Countryside Council for Wales and Rhondda Cynon Taf council - will give greater protection to the birds at Dare Valley.

There are 15 pairs of peregrine falcons breeding in the Rhondda Cynon Taf area and one of the aims of the nestwatch programme is to educate the public about looking after the birds.

Peregrine falcons: The birds have distinctive slate grey wings and backs They lay three or four eggs from about mid April They fly at speeds of up to 100mph and prey on pigeons and grouse Peregrines were shot during World War II to protect carrier pigeons Numbers were hit again in the Sixties by pesticide use

RSPCA inspector Simon Evans said an estimated 24 of the 36 peregrine sites in south Wales listed as vulnerable have suffered from raids or attacks.

Mr Evans helped fit the 24-hour CCTV camera by abseiling down the cliff.

Several years ago, rangers at Dare Valley found a peregrine which had been poisoned with aldicarb, a pesticide used on root crops.

In a separate incident, Sergeant Ian Guildford, from South Wales Police, said two pigeon fanciers from the Port Talbot area were successfully prosecuted in 2001 for attempting to kill peregrine falcons with poison.

"The local people in Aberdare are very supportive of the watch scheme and they have taken ownership of the birds," said Sgt Guildford.