Persecution: Evidence birds still targeted

Last night the find at Invercauld Estate was described as “appalling”.

The news comes just days after the neighbouring Mar Lodge Estate – which is managed by the National Trust for Scotland – celebrated the birth of four hen harrier chicks on its land.

The persecuted raptors were brought to the brink of extinction in Aberdeenshire in Victorian times, with the breeding pair hailed a victory for the Cairngorms.

Mr Thomson added: “It is not a surprise, we know this sort of thing is going on a lot because birds like hen harriers are so rare, there are very low numbers of them. That is certainly due to illegal persecution.

“Despite organisations claiming this (bird of prey persecution) is in decline, there is certainly no evidence of that.

“We pride ourselves on our landscape and wildlife. People come from all over Scotland to visit these things.

“The fact that somebody or bodies are killing protected species in 20th-century Scotland is absolutely appalling.”

Last night Grant Moir, chief executive of the Cairngorms National Park, said it was in talks to arrange “further enforcement work” following the discovery.

He said: “The law on the use of traps is clear. It is simply unacceptable for them to be used in this way.”