Landowners and managers suspected of wildlife crime could lose licences to trap or shoot birds on their property.
General licences which allow people to carry out otherwise illegal acts, such as controlling certain bird species to protect crops or livestock, can now be withdrawn under new measures to tackle raptor persecution.
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) said the restriction of licences would be made “on the basis of strong evidence” from police and on a civil, rather than criminal, standard of proof.
The measures will be backdated so that action will be taken where there is evidence of wrongdoing since January 1.
Six buzzards were found dead in a field near Fordoun in Aberdeenshire last week.
Earlier this year, 12 red kites and four buzzards were found poisoned around the Conon Bridge area in the Highlands.
Toxicology investigations are continuing on another six birds – four red kites and two buzzards – which were found dead in one of Scotland’s worst mass raptor poisonings.
Environment and Climate Change Minister Paul Wheelhouse said the illegal persecution of birds of prey was “totally unacceptable and barbaric”.
“That is why I asked SNH to consider how better use can be made of general licences which, rather than a ‘right’, are a privilege that can and should be withdrawn where there is evidence of illegal activity taking place,” he added.
“I am confident these new measures will be a powerful new weapon in our armoury in the fight against those perpetrating raptor persecution in Scotland.”
SNH chairman, Ian Ross, said raptor persecution damaged the £1.4billion a year value of nature tourism to Scotland’s economy.
“We’re committed to taking action whenever there is evidence of wildlife crime and we believe this new measure will make it much tougher for those committing offences,” he added.
Under the plans, general licences will be removed for three years, with possible extensions if evidence of further crime is discovered.
Duncan Orr-Ewing, head of species and land management at RSPB Scotland, said: “We believe that SNH will have the widespread support of the Scottish public in using these powers and equally no law-abiding landowner should have anything to fear.”