STARTLING new statistics released today show the RSPCA has received its highest number of summer cruelty reports involving wild birds in five years – with lethal weapons such as catapults, slingshots and airguns being used in the horrific attacks.

Latest figures from the animal welfare charity show that 359 incidents involving wild birds were reported during July and August 2025 – almost double the 179 reports received during the same period in 2024, and the highest summer total recorded in the past five years.

The data also shows that the RSPCA received almost half (40%) of all reports of cruelty towards wild birds during the summer months last year, with longer days and increased time spent outdoors all thought to be contributing factors. Weapons such as airguns, slingshots and catapults have been used in the horrific attacks.

And, the worrying trend looks set to continue as the charity has already received 474 reports involving cruelty to wild birds so far in 2026, more than half than the number of total reports of this nature in 2025 (876).

The figures have been released as part of the RSPCA’s Cruelty Hurts Love Rescues campaign, which highlights the increased pressure on the charity’s frontline teams during the warmer months, when reports of animal cruelty typically peak.

The birds most commonly targeted last year include pigeons, corvids (such as crows, magpies and ravens), gulls, swans and ducks, with many incidents involving catapults, air weapons and other deliberate acts of violence.

While there is no single explanation for the rise, the RSPCA believes a range of factors may contribute to deliberate attacks on wildlife. These can include deliberate misuse of catapults and air weapons, copycat behaviour, greater exposure to harmful online content, and a lack of understanding about animal welfare.

The charity stresses that the vast majority of people would never deliberately harm an animal, but believes early intervention is important when concerning behaviour is identified.

Mike Scargill, Wildlife Partnerships Manager for the RSPCA said: “We are deeply concerned by the number of reports involving deliberate cruelty towards wild birds.

“Day after day, our frontline officers and animal centres see the sickening consequences of weapons being used on animals – causing awful suffering, severe injuries and often leading to death. These figures are likely to represent only a fraction of the true scale of the problem because a lot of cruelty goes unseen and unreported. This is why we need our supporters to back our Cruelty Hurts Love Rescue campaign so we can tackle this horrific trend.

“Wild birds feel pain, fear and distress, and deserve our care and respect. Deliberately harming them causes immense suffering and can have devastating consequences for both individual animals and local wildlife populations.”

In 2025, the counties recording the highest number of reports involving deliberate cruelty towards wild birds were: