Three hen harriers were among the birds illegally killed at Leadhills Estate

A rare short-eared owl, two buzzards and three hen harriers were illegally killed on a Scottish shooting estate before investigators revoked its licence to control wild bird numbers.

The birds were shot or caught in traps on Leadhills Estate in South Lanarkshire in what Scottish Natural Heritage called “clear evidence” of wildlife crimes dating back to 2014. SNH said that wild birds’ nests had also been disturbed, which is also a crime.

SNH has banned the estate from using general licences for three years. Such licences allow land managers to carry out otherwise illegal actions, including killing some wild bird species to protect crops or livestock.

Short-eared owls are considered a rare species with a population in the UK of between 600 and 1,200 breeding