A man has been charged in connection with the death of a sparrowhawk in the Scottish highlands.

Police Scotland said officers were called to land south of Inverness following a report of a bird of prey which had been killed on Thursday, 16 September.

Following investigation, a 22-year-old man has been arrested and charged with wildlife crime offences.

A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.

The force’s wildlife crime lead, Detective Chief Superintendent Laura McLuckie, said: “We are committed to tackling wildlife crime in the Highlands and work closely with a range of partners to ensure all incidents are thoroughly investigated.

“We know this is an issue which concerns many people in communities across the region and I would encourage anyone who has concerns about wildlife crime in their area to call Police Scotland on 101.”