A rare bird of prey has been found shot dead only weeks after it was released into the wild in a bid to re-establish the species.

The police have confirmed the body of the red kite was found in a field near Castlewellan in south Down.

Twenty seven red kites were released into the wild in July, 200 years after the species died out, in a three-year-long project by Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

When the police found the four month old dead bird, its wing tags and an identifying leg ring had been removed.

Dr Mark Avery, the society's director of conservation, said it was shocked and angered by the senseless killing of a magnificent bird.

He said red kites were a threat to neither humans nor livestock, so whoever was responsible was either ignorant or enjoyed killing birds of prey.