NON-SUSPICIOUS deaths of birds of prey in the Highlands and Islands still need to be reported to police so they can be examined by specialist vets.
The appeal comes after four raptor carcasses were found in recent weeks and reported to police.
Among these were a golden eagle found on Barra, a buzzard and a barn owl found in Ross-shire, and another buzzard found in the Strathspey area. Tests found all of the deaths were from natural causes – both of the buzzards and the owl appear to have starved over the course of the winter. Inspector Mike Middlehurst said: