Senior police officers have defended last weekend’s announcement over the poisoning of 16 birds of prey on the Black Isle.
Police Scotland said the 12 red kites and four buzzards “were most likely not targeted deliberately but instead were the victims of pest control measures”.
MSPs on the Scottish Parliament’s rural affairs, climate change and environment committee demanded an explanation as they felt the statement implied that no criminal act was involved.
Dave Thompson, SNP MSP for Skye, Lochaber, and Badenoch, questioned if the birds were “collateral damage”.
Convener Rob Gibson said the police press release “makes it more difficult for us to see what is going on here”.
South of Scotland Liberal Democrat MSP Jim Hume said: “I share the convener’s concern we are muddying the waters even more with the release that went out.”
Assistant Chief Constable Malcolm Graham said the police had been “very careful” to say their assessment was the birds were not targeted deliberately.
He said the intention had been to counter much of the rumour and speculation in the area and not imply the deaths were an accident.
“We are quite specific about it remaining a criminal investigation and if the sense of that was to de-prioritise or de-escalate the seriousness that was absolutely not intended.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Robbie Allan said the statement reiterated “it was still an active criminal investigation”.
“What we believe is that illegal poison was placed in that area that resulted in the deaths of those birds,” he said.
“What we do not believe is that the poison was put there to kill those birds.”