Hen Harrier survey gives cause for optimism, but birds still facing threats

Results of the 2023 Hen Harrier survey have been released, which show how populations of Hen Harriers are faring throughout the UK and Isle of Man, but it’s a mixed picture, with some populations doing better than in previous years, while others are in decline.

The results give some cause for optimism – the Scottish population is estimated to be 529 territorial pairs, up by 15 per cent since the last survey in 2016. Seventy-seven per cent of the UK and Isle of Man population of Hen Harriers breed in Scotland.

However, in 2023 Hen Harriers were still far less abundant or widespread than they should be. The population of Scottish Hen Harriers is currently less than a third of its potential, with 16 per cent fewer birds than twenty years ago, and numbers breeding on grouse moors continue to decline.

The west Highlands, Hebrides and Orkney continued to provide a home for the majority of Scotland's breeding harriers. The population remains low on parts of the mainland, where human persecution continues to be a constraint on their numbers, as evidenced by satellite-tagged Hen Harriers continuing to disappear, mainly in areas managed for grouse shooting. 

For the first time since national Hen Harrier surveys began, the Hebrides held the second largest population in Scotland, with an estimated 110 territorial pairs - a huge 125 per cent increase since 2016. Much of this is the result of an expanding population on Lewis since 2016.

There was also a significant increase of 69 per cent in the East Highlands, due to steady increases in two large areas where significant habitat restoration programmes are taking place and with benefits for all wildlife.

Orkney and the North Highlands showed increases of 15 per cent and 12 per cent respectively, while the West Highlands showed a modest decline of five per cent.

Sadly, the Southern Uplands saw a very steep 32 per cent decline. Four Special Protection Areas (SPAs) are designated by NatureScot for this species in the south of Scotland, and they now only breed on one, community-owned land at Langholm.

Duncan Orr-Ewing, Head of Species and Land Management for RSPB Scotland, said: “The results of the latest Hen Harrier survey show there is cause for optimism, and some encouraging signs of population recovery in parts of Scotland, particularly the Western Isles, which we hope to see continue.

“Sadly, Hen Harrier persecution continues. Just last month, a satellite-tagged Hen Harrier disappeared in the Angus Glens. The illegal killing associated with intensive grouse moor management must stop. We are calling on Police Scotland to ensure all satellite tagged raptors disappearing in suspicious circumstances be recorded as a crime.

“With the passing of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill by the Scottish Parliament, all grouse shooting in Scotland will require a licence, which can be revoked if there is evidence of raptor persecution and other forms of wildlife crime, that is linked to a particular landholding.

“In our view the passing of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill should provide a significant deterrent to wildlife crime, and we should now expect now to see Hen Harrier populations on grouse moors increasing. The Bill also contains important changes to the law with regards burning on moorland which should improve nesting habitats for Hen Harriers.”

The Bill, which was recently passed by the Scottish Parliament, was the result of more than two decades of campaigning by RSPB Scotland and others to tackle wildlife crime.

Eileen Stuart, NatureScot’s Deputy Director of Nature and Climate Change, said:

“It is encouraging to see an overall increase in the population of one of our most spectacular raptors, however we need this recovery to be sustained in the long-term to meet biodiversity goals.

“We are pleased that Scotland remains a stronghold for Hen Harriers but persecution is still limiting populations in some areas and we anticipate that the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill recently passed by the Scottish Parliament will help address this.

“We must also not lose sight of other factors which can affect the species, including changes in forestry and agricultural management and potentially climate change as unpredictable weather can affect breeding performance.”

The Hen Harrier survey was carried out across the UK in 2023 as a nationwide partnership between the RSPB, NatureScot, Natural Resource Wales, Natural England, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs-Northern Ireland, the Scottish Raptor Study Group, the Northern Ireland Raptor Study Group, Northern England Raptor Forum and Manx BirdLife, with the support of many volunteers, landowners, land managers and farmers.