Campaigners in the Yorkshire Dales have launched a petition to improve protections for birds of prey following a surge in illegal killings.
The Friends of the Dales charity is urging the government to strengthen sentencing guidelines for fines and custodial terms for anyone convicted of killing a bird of prey.
The RSPB estimates more than 1,300 protected birds were killed in a 15-year period from 2009.
Friends of the Dales executive director Ann Shadrake said: "The crimes are happening in really, really remote areas and it's actually really rare for perpetrators to be brought to justice because the evidence is really easily hidden."
The group also welcomed plans to tighten regulation and introduce licensing for the gamebird shooting industry after the government announced plans this week.
Shadrake said: "Over the last year we were hearing reports of beautiful birds of prey disappearing in the Yorkshire Dales and being found dead.
"We know that people are going out there shooting birds of prey with shotguns.
"They're putting out totally illegal traps and they're also putting out poison baits, which are really dangerous for wildlife."
It has been illegal to kill birds of prey in England since the adoption of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Earlier this year, a gamekeeper from Ellingstring, who was secretly recorded discussing killing a hen harrier, was fined by a court.
The RSPB said the prosecution was the first involving any bird with Schedule 1 status in England.
Schedule 1 species have additional protection under law, such as persons requiring a licence or permit to approach a nest or adult bird with dependent young.
On Wednesday, the publication of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs' (Defra) policy paper the Land Use Framework for England revealed plans for new measures such as "licensing and any associated conditions for recreational gamebird shooting and release".
Shadrake said: "Friends of the Dales welcomes the recent publication of the Land Use Framework for England, containing a powerful commitment from government to look at introducing licensing for recreational gamebird shooting and release."
In response to the framework, Dr Marnie Lovejoy from the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) said: "Any restrictions on gamebird releasing must be based on clear and robust evidence and must properly consider the wider environmental and economic impacts."
Mark Thomas, head of investigations at the RSPB, said: "One of the many issues here is illegal bird of prey persecution.
"A significant proportion of these incidents happen on or near land associated with gamebird shooting.
"This level of illegal persecution is unacceptable and highlights the urgent need for tighter controls.
"Introducing a licensing system in England would be a long-overdue step."
Friends of the Dales' petition, which is addressed to the minister for nature, states: "Introducing sentencing guidelines with meaningful fines and ensuring the appropriate use of custodial sentences would send a clear message that the criminal killing of birds of prey is being treated as a serious crime."
The petition also wants a national database of wildlife crime to be created which the group said would "enable police forces, land managers and conservation bodies to identify trends, focus resources and coordinate action across regions".