Figures released on Wednesday show that hen harriers are dangerously close to becoming extinct in the England, as numbers fall once more and persecution of the birds continues.

The figures, compiled by the RSPB, Scottish National Heritage, Natural England and Birdlife, amongst others, show that in 2016 there were just 545 territorial pairs of hen harriers in the UK, a drop of 88 pairs since the last national survey in 2010. The vast majority of the UK’s hen harriers are in Scotland, which is home to 460 pairs of the birds. In England, there were just four recorded pairs of the birds in 2016 (down from 12 in 2010), meaning they are once again perilously close to extinction in the country, having been wiped out on mainland Britain during the 19th Century.  

In Wales, too, populations fell by a third, from 57 to 35 breeding pairs. Overall, hen harrier numbers have fallen by 27% (204 pairs) in the UK in the past twelve years.

The main driver of the decline is persistent illegal killing, often associated with driven grouse moor management, and especially prevalent in the north of England and mainland Scotland.

Changes in habitat and the availability of prey could also be having an effect, according to the RSPB, but persecution by people has been shown to have the greatest impact in previous research on the birds’ plight. Last year, during a session in Parliament which scrutinised driven grouse shooting, bird conservation experts highlighted the systemic problems within the shooting community. During an evidence gathering session in Parliament in October, famous naturalist Dr Mark Avery said, “The scale of wildlife crime is enormous. It’s not a few bad apples; you don’t get - from what ought to be 300 breeding pairs of hen harriers in England to three pairs this year - from a few bad apples. This is a massive problem. Hopefully you can see why I myself and maybe 123,000 other people have lost patience with an industry that can’t clean up its own act and are losing patience with a government that won’t act as well.”

Commenting on the latest population figures on Wednesday, RSPB Conservation Director Martin Harper said, “The hen harrier is one of our most wonderful birds of prey, to see one soaring through the air before dramatically diving down during its thrilling skydancing display is an iconic sight and one that will always take your breath way. These are sights that we should all be able to enjoy. Unfortunately, we are being robbed of the chance to see these beautiful birds flourish throughout the UK countryside.”

“The latest figures back up a continued trend that we have seen for more than a decade – hen harrier numbers are on the decline throughout the UK. The illegal killing of this bird of prey is a significant factor behind the diminishing numbers and a large barrier stopping their recovery. Without purposeful action from all, including governments across the UK and the shooting industry, we may see hen harriers once again lost from more parts of the country.”

Eileen Stuart, Scottish Natural Heritage Head of Policy & Advice, said, “While Scotland remains the stronghold for hen harriers in the UK, the continuing decline is a serious concern particularly the low numbers found in parts of the mainland. We’re committed to continuing to work with a wide range of partners to tackle wildlife crime through PAW Scotland, including initiatives such as Heads up for Harriers, and General Licence restrictions where evidence supports such action. Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commission Scotland have set up a joint Raptor Working Group to identify and promote the opportunities of forestry for raptors, including hen harriers, to sustainably deliver Scottish Government environmental and forestry policy.”