Police have launched a crackdown on people who kill rare birds of prey.

A no-tolerance approach has been adopted by Sussex Police after a Buzzard was poisoned and a Peregrine Falcon was shot.

According to officers, the birds are targeted by egg collectors, falconers, pigeon race fanciers and even photographers.

It has led to the rare Hen Harrier species being on the brink of extinction.

Police have now launched Operation Eyrie in a bid to bring these people to justice.

At the end of last year the discovery was made that few of the designated nesting spots for the Peregrine Falcon in Sussex had been successful.

A spokesman from the Sussex Peregrine Study said: "There has been a sudden and unexplained failure of four Peregrine Falcon nest sites in the same geographic area of the county. These nests haven’t recently individually failed before, so their collective failure raises many sinister possibilities."

Most birds of prey are afforded the highest level of protection under Section 1 and Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

Killing one of these birds, including barn owls, can be met with a prison sentence.

Police have made it clear that in order for Operation Eyrie to succeed many details must remain secret but have started a poster campaign in the affected areas and say more information will be given over the coming weeks.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "We will be unveiling more details soon. But in the mean time, if you see any suspicious activity around a bird of prey roost or nest site, or have any information in confidence about any wildlife crime, please tell us.”

The news comes a day after The Argus revealed that record numbers of rare birds are now breeding in Sussex.

The populations of the Little Egret, the Firecrest, the Cetti’s Warbler and the Dartford Warbler have all been rising across the county.

You can contact Sussex Police on 0845 6070999.

For more information about crime in your area go to the local information section of this website.