From tiny Merlins to enormous White-tailed Eagles, the UK’s birds of prey come in all shapes and sizes. These masterful predators are a real treat to see, but they’re often super-fast and many species look quite similar, which can make identifying them a challenge. In this guide, we share some simple ID tips to help you.
Hen Harriers are at home in the uplands, but as a result of intense persecution they are now quite rare and only a handful of pairs still nest in England. They also breed in areas of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In winter, Hen Harriers leave the uplands and you might see them in lowland and coastal habitats around the UK.
Hen Harriers often glide low to the ground, with their wings held in a shallow ‘V’, as they search for food, including small birds and rodents. If you’re really lucky, you might see a male perform his spectacular ‘sky dance’ in spring to impress a female. Males fly high into the air and then plummet downward, twisting and turning as they fall, before pulling up at the last minute and swooping into the air to perform the aerobatic rollercoaster all over again.
