The Observer - 11.08.2019

• The Observer
  News 11.08.19 15

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in collaboration with other

conservation groups such as

the Moorland Association – has

placed emphasis on encouraging

brood management schemes that

help chicks survive. In some cases,

supplementary food is provided to

help chicks’ survival and divert adult

birds’ attention from taking grouse

chicks.

Natural England said this “positive

result” meant the past two years had

produced 81 fl edged chicks, surpass-

ing the total for the previous fi ve years

put together.

“The chicks have also hatched in a

wider variety of areas this year, includ-

ing in Northumberland, Yorkshire

Dales, Derbyshire and Lancashire –

leading to hopes that a corner has

been turned in the restoration of the

hen harrier population,” it said.

Amanda Anderson, director of

the Moorland Association, was also

enthusiastic. She said: “It has been

a fantastic year for hen harriers with

a year-on-year increase in both the

geographical range of the nests and

the type of land on which they have

successfully fl edged .”

But this suggestion is fl atly rejected

by Corrigan. “Until something is done

to stop illegal killing it is hard to see

a bright future for this year’s chicks.

We believe licensing of driven grouse

moors is the best chance we have of

ensuring these wonderful birds will

be seen by future generations.”

The RSPB is one of many organ-

isations who believe the best way

to protect raptors, and to improve

the management of peatlands, is

to license grouse moors and give

authorities the power to ban shoot-

ing estates where protected species

are disappearing.

“The pervasiveness of illegal kill-

ing means many of this year’s young

hen harriers will not get the chance

to raise a family of their own and so

the population continues to dwindle,”

said Corrigan.

These views were recently backed

by television wildlife presenter Chris

Packham. Commenting after a hen

harrier was found with an almost sev-

ered leg in an illegally set trap on a

South Lanarkshire grouse moor, he

said the incident – which meant the

bird had to be destroyed – showed

that the UK shooting industry “was

out of control, obviously beyond

any form of self-regulation, and tol-

erant of an utter contempt for the

laws which are meant to protect our

wildlife”.

Th e merlin

Britain’s smallest raptor preys on

other birds such as the meadow pipit

but suff ered a serious decline in the

1960s due to pesticide poisoning.

Habitat loss, primarily due to

aff orestation and overgrazing, has

since hampered its recovery.

Th e montagu harrier

One of the most endangered of our

birds of prey, th is now rarely breeds

in the UK. Its status is so precarious

that every pair needs special

protection, according to the RSPB.

Th e marsh harrier

Th e largest of the harriers , the

marsh harrier’s numbers declined

last century but have recovered in

recent years, though it is still given

special protection as a schedule 1

listed bird under the wildlife and

countryside act.

Birds under threat

Twelve pairs

of hen harriers

in England

produced 47

chicks in 2019.

Alamy

Hen harriers

are illegally

trapped or shot

by gamekeepers

on some grouse

shooting estates.

Alamy

in collaboration ww

conservation groupss

the Moorland d AsAssosocii

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