Last week, Defra published a new six point plan to save hen harrier populations in England.

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• Monitor hen harrier numbers in England and the UK via satellite tagging and tracking;
• Share best practice with land managers and gamekeepers, encouraging the provision of food for birds of prey;
• Work closely with the Raptor Persecution Priority Delivery Group (RPPDG) to analyse intelligence on persecution and deliver more effective enforcement and deterrence measures;
• Monitor and protect nests and winter roosts from disturbance and destruction;
• Work with landowners to reintroduce hen harriers to suitable areas in the South of England;
• Scope out feasibility for trialling brood management.

Some of these actions, like monitoring and sharing best practice, are already underway at known nesting sites, such as in the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire. Other actions, such as trialling brood management, will be looked into by Natural England which will work closely with partners to determine criteria for a field trial.

According to Defra, countrywide action has already seen nest figures increase last year, from four in 2014 to six in 2015.