IN the wake of the announcement this week that a peregrine has been shot in the Forest, concern is growing that the county's most famous birds of prey at Symonds Yat Rock could be sterile.

The news is a massive disappointment for birdwatchers who, every year, flock to the Rock to watch the birds through the nesting season.

It will also disappoint the RSPB and the Foresty Commission, who have made the Yat site a welcoming place for the annual pilgrimage.

The pair are now in their second year without chicks and experts say if one is infertile it could mean many years with an empty nest.

The blow comes after the body of a seven year-old peregrine was found near Nagshead. Experts say it was shot at close range with a shotgun.

The police and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds are appealing for information about the shooting.

The culprit could face fines of up to £5,000 and six months in prison.

There are thought to be up to ten nesting pairs of peregrines in the Forest of Dean and surrounding area.

Ivan Proctor volunteers with the RSPB at Symonds Yat and says peregrine numbers have risen considerably since the 1960s. They are now living in quarries, cliffs and along the River Wye.

He said: "People should not go out and shoot what is one of our most magnificent predators. They have a life span of around 10 to 12 years and if one comes to grief, it is surprising how quickly another bird comes to take its place.

"There are a lot of young birds around looking for gaps in territories and if one bird loses its mate another quickly moves in.

"Peregrines are doing well at the moment – there are now around 1,500 nesting pairs nationally, which is up from the 1960s when numbers went down to the low hundreds because of pestcide problems."

Barry Embling, RSPB site manager in the Forest of Dean said: "Peregrines are enormously popular. Since it started 25 years ago, the peregrine viewpoint at Symonds Yat Rock in Gloucestershire has attracted over one million people, and this year alone we've had over 14,000 visitors. The public love watching them, and eagerly follow news of the birds' progress through the season. 

"Although this bird was not from Symonds Yat, its death is not only a cruel crime in itself; it also denies people the pleasure of having these birds around.

"I also hate to think of the effect of this killing on any chicks the female peregrine was likely to have had."

Anyone with information about the shooting should call the police on 0845 090 1234 (quoting the incident number 296 of June 2).  Alternatively call the RSPB in confidence on 0845 466 3636.