A HEN harrier which was reported missing in January has been found dead on a North Yorkshire grouse moor.

The RSPB said the female bird, named River, had hatched in the Bowland area last year and had been tagged with a satellite transmitter.

The tag gave its final location in November last year from a roost on the Swinton Estate.

In March, a signal was picked up again confirming the bird was dead, with its body found on Ilton Moor in April.

Police confirmed the bird’s body contained two pieces of shot.

The RSPB said River’s satellite tag was solar powered, so it is possible the bird’s body was “disturbed” and exposed to light, allowing a signal to be reactivated.

Mark Thomas, the charity’s head of investigations, said: “We don’t know precisely when or where River was shot, or who did it, but clearly she has been the subject of illegal persecution.

“With just a handful of breeding hen harrier pairs left in England, this is a species with everything to lose if the status quo continues.”

The charity appealed for anyone with information about this shooting or other incidents connected to birds of prey being killed to come forward.

Mr Thomas said: “River’s decomposed body was recovered and taken to be X-rayed by the Police. Yesterday I received confirmation from North Yorkshire Police that her body contained two pieces of shot, one of which had later been retrieved and confirmed as such by the Police.”

A statement from the Moorland Association following the news stated it was appealing for information. It read: “On July 9, the estate was updated by the police. Two metallic objects were found in the bird through X-ray but the bird was too decomposed to perform a post-mortem, so the police and experts could not ascertain the cause of death.

“The police informed them that they are taking the matter no further due to lack of evidence and stressed that there was no suspicion of any wrongdoing by the Swinton Estate or its staff.

“The Moorland Association is to write to the Raptor Persecution Priority Delivery Group to raise the case. The Association highlighted the Swinton Estate is steadfast in its condemnation of wildlife crime and has fully cooperated with the police.”