Anyone who has ever had the good fortune to witness that magnificent bird of prey the sea eagle in full flight in the skies over Northern Ireland will willingly testify that it is a wonder to behold.

With a wingspan of up to eight feet it is an awe-inspiring sight and one that recent generations never had the opportunity to view, for the species became extinct on this island exactly a century ago and its re-emergence is due to a repopulation programme based in Kerry.

A similar project in Co Down has brought back another species, the red kite, which vanished from these shores three centuries ago.

But sadly both the eagles and the kites still face threats from man. A number have been poisoned and some have been shot. While the poisoning may have been accidental - the birds fed on vermin which had been killed by deadly chemicals - there is no excuse for those who have shot either species. Although classified as birds of prey, they pose no real threat to livestock or domestic animals, preferring to scavenge on carrion or hunt small wildlife.

Charitably, conservationists say that some of the attacks on the birds may have been the result of ignorance rather than simple malice and they are working vigorously with countryside groups to promote better practice in the use of rodenticides which are harmless to the birds.

The fact remains that those who kill these birds are at little risk themselves. A fine is the ultimate penalty, although conservationists are pressing for custodial sentences to be introduced into a forthcoming environmental Bill. In a province which prides itself on the attractiveness of its countryside, these birds deserve the greatest possible protection.