Licences are being handed out to cull some of Scotland's most threatened birds, it has been revealed.

Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request show more than 500 licences were granted last year to legally kill wild birds.

Species involved include those on the red list indicating the highest level of conservation concern, compiled by bird and environmental charities including Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) - the body responsible for issuing licences.

Among red-listed species for which licences were granted are starlings, house sparrows and grey partridges.

Labour is now calling for the system to be reviewed and has accused SNH of "reaching for the shotgun" ahead of other options to control bird populations.

Licences were granted for reasons including falconry, aviculture and protecting public health or air safety.

Some licences limit the number of birds that can be culled while others allow for people to kill indefinite numbers.

The largest number of licences were granted for geese species to prevent damage to crops, while more than 100 raven cull licences were granted in 2017 to protect damage to livestock.

Scottish Labour environment and animal welfare spokeswoman, Claudia Beamish, called the figures "dangerously worrying".

"Scotland is rightly renowned internationally for the quality and variety of its wildlife, including many rare and endangered birds," she said.

"Sadly it is often necessary for bird populations to be controlled, but these figures show licences are being granted to kill many endangered species.

"That cannot be right. Rather than reaching for the shotgun first, organisations such as Scottish Natural Heritage should be exhausting all other options before allowing culls."

A SNH spokeswoman said: "Scottish Natural Heritage works to strike a balance between the conservation and protection of species and other public interests, including minimising damage to agriculture; and health and safety.

"We are confident that all activities carried out under these licences do not affect the conservation status of any of our native species."

She added that the majority of bird control licences with no stated limit regard imminent threats to air safety, such as where birds could strike a plane and put lives in danger, and are not culls.