A new science prize in honour of two renowned Galloway ornithologists has gone to research into illegal killing of red kites in northern Scotland. The Watson award, named after father and son Donald and Jeff Watson, both keen ornithologists and a renowned bird artist and golden eagle expert respectively, was given to a team led by RSPB scientists at a ceremony at Dalry town hall on 1 October.
The RSPB research assessed the “phenomenal success story” of reintroducing red kites to the UK and compared the projects in the Highlands with the Chilterns. The project set out to identify why the north of Scotland population had only reached about 50 breeding pairs after 17 years compared with about 300 in the Chilterns, where habitats were similar.
It found that 40% of red kites found dead at the sites studied north of the border had been killed illegally. The authors concluded that if there had been no illegal killing the population in northern Scotland would have grown at the same rate as in the Chilterns.
Spokesman for the judging panel, Professor Des Thompson said: “Some outstanding scientific papers were published on birds of prey in 2010.
“However, Dr Jennifer Smart and co-workers have published an exemplary piece of scientific work which pinpoints the key limiting factor for a reintroduced red kite population in the north of Scotland.
“It is especially fitting that this study should have been carried out in the late Jeff Watson’s home area – where he played an important part in supporting the reintroduction programme.”