A pair or rare and legally protected birds have been intentionally poisoned at their nesting place in South Kilkenny.

Large amounts of the poison carbofuran was ingested by them near their nests at the Slate Quarries, close to the Tipperary border.

Ranger with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Jimi Conroy believes that a live pigeon was probably used as bait and was first covered in the poison and then tied to a stake close to the nest to lure the nesting couple.

He said that the fact two had been killed had made it certain they were knowingly poisoned and because carbofuran is a controlled substance, he believes it was intentionally used to kill them.

He said it was a shocking crime and that because peregrines are so rare they are protected under The wildlife Acts.

He is looking for information which will lead to the conviction of those responsible. He is asking anyone that saw anything suspicious in the Slate Quarries area over the last number of weeks, including the tying up of a pigeon to come forward. The number to ring is 076-1002655