Cause for optimism following 2023 Hen Harrier survey results

Britain's Hen Harrier population has shown signs of increase, according to a national study of the raptor last year.

Results of the 2023 Hen Harrier survey have been released and give some cause for optimism. The UK and Isle of Man population is estimated to be 691 territorial pairs, of which 653 are found in UK.

This marks a 20% increase from the 545 pairs recorded in the last survey in 2016 and also arrests the trend of decline shown since the 2004 survey, when 749 pairs were recorded.

Hen Harrier has shown signs of increase in Britain, according to a national survey of the raptor conducted in 2023 (Gary Thoburn).

 

Mixed fortunes

However, according to the survey, Hen Harrier remains less abundant or widespread than it should be, and the new population estimate represents only a quarter of the potential population that the extent of suitable habitat can support.

Across all four countries of the UK, there is huge variation between populations. England has seen the biggest increase since 2016. Natural England data shows there were 54 Hen Harrier breeding attempts by 50 territorial pairs in 2023 – a substantial 1,150% increase on the four pairs recorded in 2016.

But, while the 2023 figures may look encouraging, Hen Harriers remain absent from large parts of England, including the Peak District and North York Moors.

 

Encouraging signs

Katie-Jo Luxton, the RSPB's executive director of global conservation, said: "While there have been encouraging signs since 2016 a closer look shows there's much more to be done to address the differences across the UK.

"For example, England has seen the biggest increase, which is welcome news, but the starting point was shockingly low, and well below where we would expect healthy populations of these birds to be given the habitat available to them.

"The work we and others have been doing to restore these populations is incredibly important, and we need to make sure it continues and that we step up our efforts to tackle the illegal killing of birds of prey."

There were 50 pairs of Hen Harrier across England in 2023 (Tony Bridges).

 

Illegal raptor persecution

Disappearances and persecution of satellite-tagged birds shows illegal persecution continues to hamper population recovery. Combined Natural England and RSPB data shows a shocking 32 satellite-tagged Hen Harriers vanished or were confirmed as being illegally killed in England in 2023 – the highest recorded number of Hen Harriers killed or suspiciously disappeared in one year.

There was a mixed picture for Hen Harriers in Scotland. The overall population was estimated at 529 territorial pairs, up by 15% since 2016, giving Scotland 77% of the UK and Isle of Man population.

Elsewhere, the 2023 survey recorded 40 territorial pairs in Wales, up from 35 in 2016. More than half of the Hen Harrier pairs were in the two Special Protected Areas (SPAs) designated for breeding harriers, Berwyn in north-east Wales and Migneint-Arenig-Dduallt in the north-west.

 

Northern Irish decrease

Northern Ireland recorded only 34 territorial pairs in 2023, a decrease of about 26% which is linked to loss of habitat, increasingly poor habitat quality, and a range of disturbances, a decline which mirrors the 33% population decrease within Ireland seen in 2022.

In the Isle of Man, a total of 38 territorial pairs were recorded last year, the highest count since 2004 when the Manx breeding population peaked at 57 pairs.