Bird perched on shield

Poacher shot a buzzard from a car

A buzzard was shot at by an unknown person in Upper Carinthia (symbolic image). Birds of prey are protected all year round and may therefore never be killed.

(Bild: Philipp Rauscher/Birdlife)

What happened on Friday afternoon in Upper Carinthia is unbelievable: A still unknown person shot at a buzzard from a car across the road! He left the dead animal where it lay and drove off in his BMW. The police are hoping for information about the perpetrator.

At around 2.40 p.m. on Friday, a 54-year-old woman from the district of Spittal observed how a currently unknown driver of a white BMW X3 stopped on the slip road to the B106 south of the main road in Obervellach and shot at a buzzard sitting on a sign north of the B106 from the car across the road.

The bird of prey was shot in the process. After the act, the unknown man drove off in the direction of Gratschach.

The witness brought the shot bird to the Obervellach police station and filed a report.

Information on the shooter requested
The police are appealing for information leading to the perpetrator. Anyone who has made observations about the incident or can provide information about the vehicle or its driver is asked to contact the Obervellach police station on 059 133 2232.

Not the first illegal shot at a buzzard
In January 2023, a female buzzard was shot at Lake Weissensee - with a BB gun. The bird was nursed back to health in the Landskron Castle eagle arena.