ANOTHER RECORD YEAR FOR HEN HARRIERS IN THE FOREST OF BOWLAND
Hen Harriers are one of the most charismatic yet also most threatened bird species nesting in our uplands. The Forest of Bowland has long served as their most important breeding stronghold in England thanks to collaborative conservation efforts centred on the United Utilities Bowland Estate, where the RSPB is working in partnership with United Utilities and their tenants to monitor and protect these amazing birds.
During the 2025 breeding season, RSPB staff and volunteers recorded 14 Hen Harrier nests on the United Utilities Estate, of which 12 were successful and fledged an outstanding 40 young. This represents the highest number of fledglings recorded in over 40 years.
However, as reported last month there was also a disappointing setback in the form of two adult males disappearing from neighbouring nests within a few days of each other, something not seen on the United Utilities Estate in years.
At one affected nest, the chicks had already begun hatching and, with the help of some supplementary food provided by RSPB staff under licence from Natural England, the female was able to fledge two chicks on her own. At the other nest, the female was still incubating and deserted her clutch after the male disappeared.
One additional nest failed as the female was not provisioned sufficiently by her polygamous male and was forced to hunt herself, leaving her young chick unattended and exposed to the elements. Male Hen Harriers often mate with more than one female (known as polygamy), however, when prey availability is low, they may struggle to provide sufficient food for both broods.
Overall, it was a very good breeding season for Hen Harriers in Bowland. Together with an additional nest recorded by Natural England on a private estate, which fledged 2 chicks, a total of 15 Hen Harrier females bred within the Bowland Fells Special Protection Area (SPA). This meant the SPA again exceeded the threshold of 12 breeding pairs for the second time since 2022.
This sustained recovery over the last eight years reflects highly successful partnership working in Bowland and the commitment of landowners and tenants. However, the species’ overall recovery in England still faces ongoing threats such as illegal persecution, changes in land use and habitat loss.
ENDS
Fantastic work by all those involved – well done.
We still haven’t seen the overall results of the 2025 Hen Harrier breeding season in England but the word on the ground is that it’s been another poor year for Hen Harriers on private estates managed for driven grouse shooting and a good year for those nesting elsewhere. Quelle surprise.
Last year the grouse shooting industry blamed bad weather for the sudden drop in the number of breeding Hen Harriers on private grouse moors, although bad weather didn’t stop Hen Harriers breeding on United Utilities land in Bowland, the RSPB’s Geltsdale Reserve in Cumbria or Forestry England land at Kielder.
Last year there were just five successful nests on privately-owned grouse moors in England and I’m not expecting much to have changed this year. We’ll have to wait for Natural England to publish the 2025 breeding season numbers to find out if this is accurate, and who knows when NE will get its act together to do that.
This is the statutory agency that is STILL suppressing details about the death of at least seven satellite-tagged Hen Harriers, most of whom were found dead over a year ago and yet are still listed on Natural England’s tag database, implausibly, as ‘awaiting post mortem’ (see here for a previous blog about these birds).
They’re not ‘awaiting post mortem’ at all. The post mortems were all completed months ago (and in one case, over 18 months ago). Those post mortems have provided evidence (that I’m aware of) that at least some of these seven dead Hen Harriers were killed illegally.
The longer this information is suppressed, the further public confidence drops in any agency’s ability or desire to tackle these crimes.
One of London’s resident breeding Peregrines, Tom, from Charing Cross Hospital in Hammersmith, is receiving veterinary care after an x-ray revealed a shotgun pellet lodged in his leg.
According to reports on social media, Tom was found grounded at the weekend and was taken for assessment at the South Essex Wildlife Hospital. It’s not clear from the information published whether the shotgun pellet was the cause of his grounding or whether it is an old injury that he’d survived.
All photos from South Essex Wildlife Hospital
Hopefully Tom will make a speedy recovery and can be returned to his territory ASAP.
The South Essex Wildlife Hospital has featured a few times on this blog, involved in the treatment and often successful rehabilitation of shot raptors from the south-east. It’s a registered charity – if you’d like to make a donation to support its work, please click here.
“Swaledale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park is statistically the worst location in England with three Hen Harriers confirmed to have been illegally killed and 14 more satellite-tagged birds suspiciously disappearing between 2016-2023“
and
“The most significant declines in Hen Harrier breeding in England in 2024 were observed in the North Pennines and the Yorkshire Dales, with decreases of 67% and 73% respectively, compared to 2023. Both regions are intensively managed for grouse shooting and have been linked to several confirmed and suspected Hen Harrier persecution incidents in recent years“.
Indeed, the forthcoming trial of a gamekeeper alleged to have been involved in the conspiracy to shoot and kill an untagged Hen Harrier relates to an incident filmed on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales last October (as featured on Channel 4 News, here).
And yet another satellite-tagged Hen Harrier ‘disappeared’ in suspicious circumstances on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park earlier this year (here).
The Yorkshire Dales National Park was also where satellite-tagged Hen Harrier ‘Free’ was found dead. His post-mortem concluded that his ‘leg had been torn off while he was alive, and that the cause of death was the head being twisted and pulled off while the body was held tightly’ (see here).
Hen Harrier ‘Free’ during post-mortem examination. Photo via Natural England.
With all this recent history in mind, I’ve been following the progress of the development of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s latest five-year Management Plan (2025-2030), due to be published shortly.
As part of the Management Plan process, the Management Plan Partnership undertook a six-week public consultation process in January 2024 to find out what issues were important to residents and visitors.
A total of 1,106 responses were received, of which 50% were from people indicating they live and/or work in the National Park; 16% were from younger people (18-34); and 4% were from people identifying as being from non-white ethnic groups.
The online questionnaire identified 18 issues from which people were asked to rank their top six.
The top two priorities selected by respondents were:
Help nature to recover by creating, restoring and connecting important habitats;
Protect rare and threatened species, including ending illegal persecution of birds of prey.
That’s quite a significant result! And this isn’t the first time that the public has identified illegal raptor persecution as a major concern in this National Park (see here).
A second Management Plan consultation ran in January 2025 based on 40 proposed draft objectives, which included:
C6. Support implementation of the national Wildlife Crime Strategy to end the illegal killing and disturbance of birds of prey and other wildlife by 2028.
This proposed draft objective for tackling the illegal killing of birds of prey in the Yorkshire Dales National Park is quite different from the objective listed in the previous Management Plan (2019-2024) which was this:
C5. Work with moorland managers and other key stakeholders to devise and implement a local approach to end illegal persecution of raptors, including independent and scientifically robust monitoring, and co-ordinated hen harrier nest and winter roost site protection.
The latest draft objective for tackling illegal raptor persecution seems to have shifted significantly, away from the so-called ‘Bird of Prey Partnership’ approach, established in 2020 with representatives from the grouse-shooting industry, the raptor conservation community, RSPB, Natural England, Police, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and the Nidderdale AONB (now renamed Nidderdale National Landscape) Authority.
That ‘partnership’, just like the similar one set up in the Peak District National Park and on which the Yorkshire Dales/Nidderdale Partnership was based, has failed miserably (e.g. see here) and has seen two of the ‘partners’ walk away (RSPB here, Northern England Raptor Forum here), both citing familiar complaints about the behaviour of the grouse moor lobby group, The Moorland Association.
The latest draft objective in the 2025-2030 Management Plan doesn’t mention the ‘partnership’ at all and instead focuses on ‘supporting the implementation of the [Police] National Wildlife Crime Strategy‘, which includes the national wildlife crime priorities of which raptor persecution is a key focus.
Does that mean a formal end to the Yorkshire Dales/Nidderdale Bird of Prey Partnership?
For anyone who still wants to pretend that the grouse shooting industry isn’t responsible for the systematic extermination of Hen Harriers on grouse moors across the UK, here’s the latest catalogue of crime that suggests otherwise.
This male hen harrier died in 2019 after his leg was almost severed in an illegally set trap that had been placed next to his nest on a Scottish grouse moor (see here). Photo by Ruth Tingay
This is the blog I now publish after every reported killing or suspicious disappearance.
“They disappear in the same way political dissidents in authoritarian dictatorships have disappeared” (Stephen Barlow, 22 January 2021).
Today the list has been updated to include the two most recently reported victims: an RSPB-satellite-tagged male called ‘Dynamo’ who vanished whilst hunting on a nearby grouse moor close to his nest site on United Utilities-owned land in the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire in May 2025 (here) and another male, this time-untagged, who also vanished from another active nest site on United Utilities-owned land in the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire, in May 2025 (here).
I’ve been compiling this list only since 2018 because that is the year that the grouse shooting industry ‘leaders’ would have us believe that the criminal persecution of Hen Harriers had stopped and that these birds were being welcomed back on to the UK’s grouse moors (see here).
This assertion was made shortly before the publication of a devastating new scientific paper that demonstrated that 72% of satellite-tagged Hen Harriers were confirmed or considered likely to have been illegally killed, and this was ten times more likely to occur over areas of land managed for grouse shooting relative to other land uses (see here). A further scientific paper published in 2023 by scientists at the RSPB, utilising even more recent data, echoed these results – see here.
2018 was also the year that Natural England issued a licence to begin a Hen Harrier brood meddling trial on grouse moors in northern England. For new blog readers, Hen Harrier brood meddling was a conservation sham sanctioned by DEFRA as part of its ludicrous ‘Hen Harrier Action Plan‘ and carried out by Natural England (NE), in cahoots with the very industry responsible for the species’ catastrophic decline in England.
For more background see here and for a critical evaluation of the trial after 5 years see this report by Wild Justice. In 2024 the brood meddling trial appeared to collapse for reasons which are not yet clear (see here) and the licence for the so-called ‘scientific trial’ expired. In March 2025 Natural England announced the end of the brood meddling trial (here) and in April 2025 announced that a licence application to continue brood meddling, submitted by the Moorland Association, had been refused (here).
Brood meddling was earlier described as a sort of ‘gentleman’s agreement’ by commentator Stephen Welch:
“I don’t get it, I thought the idea of that scheme was some kind of trade off – a gentleman’s agreement that the birds would be left in peace if they were moved from grouse moors at a certain density. It seems that one party is not keeping their side of the bargain“.
With at least 143 Hen Harriers gone since 2018, and 31 of those being brood meddled birds, there is no question that the grouse shooting industry was simply taking the piss. Meanwhile, Natural England pretended that ‘partnership working’ was the way to go and consecutive Tory DEFRA Ministers remained silent for all those years.
*n/a – no hen harriers were brood meddled in 2018. **Post mortem reports on a further seven hen harriers found dead in 2024/2025 are awaited. Those seven individuals are not included in this table.
‘Partnership working’ according to Natural England appeared to include authorising the removal of Hen Harrier chicks from a grouse moor already under investigation by the police for suspected raptor persecution (here) and accepting a £75k ‘donation’ from representatives of the grouse shooting industry with a contract clause that prevented Natural England from criticising them or the sham brood meddling trial (see here). This was in addition to a further £10k ‘donation’ that Natural England accepted, under the same terms, in 2021 (here).
Thankfully, the Scottish Government finally decided to act by introducing a grouse moor licensing scheme under the Wildlife Management & Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024. The intention behind this new legislation is that grouse shooting estates could have their licences suspended/revoked if, on the balance of probability, it is shown that any raptor persecution crimes (& some other associated offences) are linked with grouse moor management on that estate. There, are, however, ongoing issues with the licence as it’s been significantly watered-down after an intervention from the grouse shooting industry (see here). Work is underway to address this.
In England a new Hen Harrier Taskforce was established in 2024, led by the National Wildlife Crime Unit, to use innovative techniques to target Hen Harrier persecution hotspots (locations where Hen Harriers repeatedly ‘disappear’ or are found illegally killed). It’s too early to judge the Taskforce’s success/failure and it’s been met with considerable resistance from the Moorland Association, the grouse moor owners’ lobby group (e.g. see here). So far though, it’s quite clear that the the illegal killing continues.
So here’s the latest gruesome list of ‘missing’/illegally killed hen harriers since 2018. Note that the majority of these birds (but not all) were fitted with satellite tags. How many more [untagged] harriers have been killed? We now have evidence that gamekeepers are specifically targeting untagged Hen Harriers, precisely to avoid detection (see here for extraordinary footage/audio captured by the RSPB’s Investigations Team as featured on Channel 4 News in October 2024).
February 2018: Hen Harrier Saorsa ‘disappeared’ in the Angus Glens in Scotland (here). The Scottish Gamekeepers Association later published wholly inaccurate information claiming the bird had been re-sighted. The RSPB dismissed this as “completely false” (here).
5 February 2018: Hen Harrier Marc ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Durham (here).
9 February 2018: Hen Harrier Aalin ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Wales (here).
March 2018: Hen Harrier Blue ‘disappeared’ in the Lake District National Park (here).
March 2018: Hen Harrier Finn ‘disappeared’ near Moffat in Scotland (here).
18 April 2018: Hen Harrier Lia ‘disappeared’ in Wales and her corpse was retrieved in a field in May 2018. Cause of death was unconfirmed but police treating death as suspicious (here).
8 August 2018: Hen Harrier Hilma ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Northumberland (here).
16 August 2018: Hen Harrier Athena ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Scotland (here).
26 August 2018: Hen Harrier Octavia ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Peak District National Park (here).
29 August 2018: Hen Harrier Margot ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Scotland (here).
29 August 2018: Hen Harrier Heulwen ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Wales (here).
3 September 2018: Hen Harrier Stelmaria ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Scotland (here).
24 September 2018: Hen Harrier Heather ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Scotland (here).
2 October 2018: Hen Harrier Mabel ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
3 October 2018: Hen Harrier Thor ‘disappeared’ next to a grouse moor in Bowland, Lanacashire (here).
23 October 2018: Hen Harrier Tom ‘disappeared’ in South Wales (here).
26 October 2018: Hen Harrier Arthur ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the North York Moors National Park (here).
1 November 2018: Hen Harrier Barney ‘disappeared’ on Bodmin Moor (here).
10 November 2018: Hen Harrier Rannoch ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Scotland (here). Her corpse was found nearby in May 2019 – she’d been killed in an illegally-set spring trap (here).
14 November 2018: Hen Harrier River ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Nidderdale AONB (here). Her corpse was found nearby in April 2019 – she’d been illegally shot (here).
16 January 2019: Hen Harrier Vulcan ‘disappeared’ in Wiltshire close to Natural England’s proposed reintroduction site (here).
28 January 2019: Hen Harrier DeeCee ‘disappeared’ in Glen Esk, a grouse moor area of the Angus Glens (see here).
7 February 2019: Hen Harrier Skylar ‘disappeared’ next to a grouse moor in South Lanarkshire (here).
22 April 2019: Hen Harrier Marci ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Cairngorms National Park (here).
26 April 2019: Hen Harrier Rain ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Nairnshire (here).
11 May 2019: An untagged male Hen Harrier was caught in an illegally-set trap next to his nest on a grouse moor in South Lanarkshire. He didn’t survive (here).
7 June 2019: An untagged Hen Harrier was found dead on a grouse moor in Scotland. A post mortem stated the bird had died as a result of ‘penetrating trauma’ injuries and that this bird had previously been shot (here).
5 September 2019: Wildland Hen Harrier 1 ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor nr Dalnaspidal on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park (here).
11 September 2019: Hen Harrier Romario ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Cairngorms National Park (here).
14 September 2019: Hen Harrier (Brood meddled in 2019, #183704) ‘disappeared’ in the North Pennines (here).
23 September 2019: Hen Harrier (Brood meddled in 2019, #55149) ‘disappeared’ in North Pennines (here).
24 September 2019: Wildland Hen Harrier 2 ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor at Invercauld in the Cairngorms National Park (here).
24 September 2019: Hen Harrier Bronwyn ‘disappeared’ near a grouse moor in North Wales (here).
10 October 2019: Hen Harrier Ada ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the North Pennines AONB (here).
12 October 2019: Hen Harrier Thistle ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Sutherland (here).
18 October 2019: Member of the public reports the witnessed shooting of an untagged male Hen Harrier on White Syke Hill in North Yorkshire (here).
November 2019: Hen Harrier Mary found illegally poisoned on a pheasant shoot in Ireland (here).
November 2019: Hen Harrier Artemis ‘disappeared’ near Long Formacus in south Scotland (RSPB pers comm).
14 December 2019: Hen harrier Oscar ‘disappeared’ in Eskdalemuir, south Scotland (here).
December 2019: Hen Harrier Ingmar ‘disappeared’ in the Strathbraan grouse moor area of Perthshire (RSPB pers comm).
27 January 2020: Members of the public report the witnessed shooting of a male Hen Harrier on Threshfield Moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
23 March 2020: Hen Harrier Rosie ‘disappeared’ at an undisclosed roost site in Northumberland (here).
1 April 2020: Hen Harrier (Brood meddled in 2019, #183703) ‘disappeared’ in unnamed location, tag intermittent (here).
5 April 2020: Hen Harrier Hoolie ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Cairngorms National Park (here)
8 April 2020: Hen Harrier Marlin ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Cairngorms National Park (here).
19 May 2020: Hen Harrier Fingal ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Lowther Hills, Scotland (here).
21 May 2020: Hen Harrier (Brood meddled in 2019, #183701) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Cumbria shortly after returning from wintering in France (here).
27 May 2020: Hen Harrier Silver ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor on Leadhills Estate, Scotland (here).
2020: day/month unknown: Unnamed male Hen Harrier breeding on RSPB Geltsdale Reserve, Cumbria ‘disappeared’ while away hunting (here).
9 July 2020: Unnamed female Hen Harrier (#201118) ‘disappeared’ from an undisclosed site in Northumberland (here).
25 July 2020: Hen Harrier Harriet ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
14 August 2020: Hen Harrier Solo ‘disappeared’ in confidential nest area in Lancashire (here).
7 September 2020: Hen Harrier Dryad ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
16 September 2020: Hen Harrier Fortune ‘disappeared’ from an undisclosed roost site in Northumberland (here).
19 September 2020: Hen Harrier Harold ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
20 September 2020: Hen Harrier (Brood meddled in 2020, #55152) ‘disappeared’ next to a grouse moor in North Yorkshire (here).
24 February 2021: Hen Harrier Tarras ‘disappeared’ next to a grouse moor in Northumberland (here)
12th April 2021: Hen Harrier Yarrow ‘disappeared’ near Stockton, County Durham (here).
18 May 2021: Adult male Hen Harrier ‘disappeared’ from its breeding attempt on RSPB Geltsdale Reserve, Cumbria whilst away hunting (here).
18 May 2021: Another adult male Hen Harrier ‘disappeared’ from its breeding attempt on RSPB Geltsdale Reserve, Cumbria whilst away hunting (here).
24 July 2021: Hen Harrier Asta ‘disappeared’ at a ‘confidential site’ in the North Pennines (here). We learned 18 months later that her wings had been ripped off so her tag could be fitted to a crow in an attempt to cover up her death (here).
14th August 2021: Hen Harrier Josephine ‘disappeared’ at a ‘confidential site’ in Northumberland (here).
17 September 2021: Hen Harrier Reiver ‘disappeared’ in a grouse moor dominated region of Northumberland (here)
24 September 2021: Hen Harrier (Brood meddled in 2021, R2-F-1-21) ‘disappeared’ in Northumberland (here).
15 November 2021: Hen Harrier (brood meddled in 2020, #R2-F1-20) ‘disappeared’ at the edge of a grouse moor on Arkengarthdale Estate in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
19 November 2021: Hen Harrier Val ‘disappeared’ in the Lake District National Park in Cumbria (here).
19 November 2021: Hen Harrier Percy ‘disappeared’ in Lothian, Scotland (here).
12 December 2021: Hen Harrier Jasmine ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor (High Rigg Moor on the Middlesmoor Estate) in the Nidderdale AONB in North Yorkshire (here).
9 January 2022: Hen Harrier Ethel ‘disappeared’ in Northumberland (here).
26 January 2022: Hen Harrier Amelia ‘disappeared’ in Bowland (here).
10 February 2022: An unnamed satellite-tagged Hen Harrier ‘disappeared’ in a grouse moor dominated area of the Peak District National Park (here). One year later it was revealed that the satellite tag/harness of this young male called ‘Anu’ had been deliberately cut off (see here).
12 April 2022: Hen Harrier ‘Free’ (Tag ID 201121) ‘disappeared’ at a ‘confidential site’ in Cumbria (here). It later emerged he hadn’t disappeared, but his mutilated corpse was found on moorland in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. A post mortem revealed the cause of death was having his head twisted and pulled off. One leg had also been torn off whilst he was still alive (here).
April 2022: Hen Harrier ‘Pegasus’ (tagged by the RSPB) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor at Birkdale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
May 2022: A male breeding Hen Harrier ‘disappeared’ from a National Trust-owned grouse moor in the Peak District National Park (here).
May 2022: Another breeding male Hen Harrier ‘disappeared’ from a National Trust-owned grouse moor in the Peak District National Park (here).
14 May 2022: Hen Harrier ‘Harvey’ (Tag ID 213844) ‘disappeared’ from a ‘confidential site’ in the North Pennines (here).
20 June 2022: Hen harrier chick #1 stamped to death in nest on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
20 June 2022: Hen Harrier chick #2 stamped to death in nest on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
20 June 2022: Hen Harrier chick #3 stamped to death in nest on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
20 June 2022: Hen Harrier chick #4 stamped to death in nest on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
17 August 2022: Hen Harrier (brood meddled in 2022, #R1-M1-22) ‘disappeared’ on moorland in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
September 2022: Hen Harrier ‘Sullis’ (tagged by the RSPB) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Cumbria (here).
5 October 2022: Hen Harrier (brood meddled in 2022, #R3-M2-22) ‘disappeared’ on moorland in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
10 October 2022: Hen Harrier ‘Sia’ ‘disappeared’ near Hamsterley Forest in the North Pennines (here).
October 2022: Hen Harrier (brood meddled in 2021, #R1-F1-21) ‘disappeared’ in the North Sea off the North York Moors National Park (here).
1 December 2022: Hen Harrier male (brood meddled in 2021, #R1-M1-21) ‘disappeared’ on moorland in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
7 December 2022: Hen Harrier female (brood meddled in 2020, #55144) ‘disappeared’ from winter roost (same as #R3-F1-22) on moorland in North Pennines AONB (here).
14 December 2022: Hen Harrier female (brood meddled in 2022, #R3-F1-22) ‘disappeared’ from winter roost (same as #R2-F2-20) on moorland in the North Pennines AONB (here). Later found dead with two shotgun pellets in corpse (here).
15 December 2022: Hen Harrier female (brood meddled in 2022, #R2-F1-22) ‘disappeared’ on moorland in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
30 March 2023: Hen Harrier female (brood meddled in 2022, #R1-F3-22) ‘disappeared’ in Yorkshire (here). Notes from NE Sept 2023 spreadsheet update: “Final transmission location temporarily withheld at police request“.
1 April 2023: Hen Harrier male (brood meddled in 2022, #R2-M1-22) ‘disappeared’ in Yorkshire (here). Notes from NE Sept 2023 spreadsheet update: “Final transmission location temporarily withheld at police request“.
April 2023: Hen Harrier ‘Lagertha’ (tagged by RSPB) ‘disappeared’ in North Yorkshire (here).
April 2023: Hen Harrier ‘Nicola’ (Tag ID 234078) ”disappeared’ in North Yorkshire (here).
April 2023: Untagged male Hen Harrier ‘disappeared’ from an active nest on RSPB Geltsdale Reserve in Cumbria (here).
April 2023: Another untagged male Hen Harrier ‘disappeared’ from an active nest on RSPB Geltsdale Reserve in Cumbria (here).
April 2023: Untagged male Hen Harrier ‘disappeared’ from an active nest in Durham (here).
4/5 May 2023: Satellite-tagged male Hen Harrier called ‘Rush’ ‘disappeared’ from a grouse moor in Bowland AONB in Lancashire (here).
9/10 May 2023: Hen Harrier male called ‘Dagda’, tagged by the RSPB in Lancashire in June 2022 and who was breeding on the RSPB’s Geltsdale Reserve in 2023 until he ‘vanished’, only to be found dead on the neighbouring Knarsdale grouse moor in May 2023 – a post mortem revealed he had been shot (here).
17 May 2023: Satellite-tagged Hen Harrier called ‘Wayland’ ‘disappeared’ in the Clapham area of North Yorkshire, just north of the Bowland AONB (here).
31 May 2023: Hen Harrier male (brood meddled in 2022, tag #213932, name: R2-M3-22) ‘disappeared’ in Northumberland (grid ref: NY765687) (here).
11 June 2023: Hen Harrier male (brood meddled in 2021, tag #213922, name: R2-M1-21) ‘disappeared’ at a confidential site in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Notes from the NE spreadsheet: “Final transmission location temporarily withheld at police request“ (here).
12 June 2023: Hen Harrier male (brood meddled in 2020, tag #203004, name: R1-M2-20) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Co. Durham (grid ref: NY976322) (here).
6 July 2023: Satellite-tagged female Hen Harrier named ‘Rubi’ (tag #201124a) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Co. Durham (grid ref: NY911151) (here).
23 July 2023: Hen Harrier female (brood meddled in 2023, tag #55154a, name: R1-F1-23) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Co. Durham (close to where ‘Rubi’ vanished), grid ref: NY910126 (here).
29 July 2023: Hen Harrier female (brood meddled in 2020, R2-F2-20) ‘disappeared’ at a confidential site in the North Pennines. Notes from the NE spreadsheet: “Dead. Recovered – awaiting PM results. Final transmission location temporarily withheld at police request“ (here). Later found dead with 3 shotgun pellets in corpse (here).
9 August 2023: Satellite-tagged Hen Harrier called ‘Martha’ ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor (Westburnhope Moor) near Hexham in the North Pennines (here).
11 August 2023: Satellite-tagged hen harrier called ‘Selena’ ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor (Mossdale Moor) in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
11 August 2023: Hen Harrier female (brood meddled in 2023, tag #201118a, name: R3-F1-23) ‘disappeared’ in Co. Durham (grid ref: NZ072136) (here).
15 August 2023: Satellite-tagged Hen Harrier called ‘Hepit’ ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor (Birkdale Common) near Kirkby Stephen in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
24 August 2023: Hen Harrier female (brood meddled in 2023, tag #55155a, name: R1-F2-23) ‘disappeared’ at a confidential site in Northumberland. Notes from the NE spreadsheet: “Final transmission location temporarily withheld at police request“ (here).
August-Sept 2023: Satellite-tagged Hen Harrier called ‘Harmonia’ ‘disappeared’ in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here).
September 2023: Hen Harrier female ‘Saranyu’, tagged by the RSPB in Cumbria in June 2023, ‘disappeared’ in Durham in September 2023 (no further details available yet – just outline info provided in 2022 Birdcrime report) (here).
September 2023: Hen Harrier female ‘Inger’, a female tagged by the RSPB in Perthshire in July 2022, ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Angus Glens in September 2023 (here).
15 September 2023: Hen Harrier male called ‘Rhys’, tagged in Cumbria on 1st August 2023, ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Grid ref: SD798896 (here).
24 September 2023: Hen Harrier female (brood meddled in 2023, name: ‘R2-F2-23’) ‘disappeared’ in the North Pennines, grid ref: NY888062 (here).
25 September 2023: Hen Harrier female (brood meddled in 2022, name: ‘R1-F4-22’) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, grid ref: SE077699 (here).
26 September 2023: Hen Harrier female called ‘Hope’, tagged in Cumbria on 21 July 2023, ‘disappeared’ next to a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, grid ref: SD801926 (here).
4 October 2023: Hen Harrier male (brood meddled in 2020, name: ‘R1-M3-20’) ‘disappeared’ in Co Durham, grid ref: NY935192 (here).
4 October 2023: Hen Harrier female (brood meddled in 2023, name: ‘R4-F1-23’) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, grid ref: SE003981 (here).
14 October 2023: Hen Harrier male called ‘Cillian’, tagged in Cumbria on 1 August 2023, ‘disappeared’ in south west Scotland, grid ref: NY051946 (here).
15 November 2023: Hen Harrier female called ‘Hazel’, tagged in Cumbria on 21 July 2023, ‘disappeared’ on the Isle of Man, grid ref: SC251803 (here).
27 November 2023: Hen Harrier female called ‘Gill’, tagged in Northumberland on 10 July 2023, ‘disappeared’ at a confidential location in Teeside (here).
12 February 2024: Hen Harrier female called ‘Susie’, Tag ID 201122, found dead at a confidential location in Northumberland and the subject of an ongoing police investigation (here).
15 February 2024: Hen Harrier female called ‘Shalimar’, tagged on the National Trust for Scotland’s Mar Lodge estate in 2023, ‘disappeared’ in suspicious circumstances on a grouse moor in the notorious Angus Glens (here).
7 March 2024: Hen Harrier male (brood meddled in 2023, name R2-M1-23) found dead in Devon. According to an FoI response from Natural England in June 2024 this death is the subject of an ongoing police investigation (here).
24 April 2024: Hen Harrier male called ‘Ken’, Tag ID 213849a, ‘disappeared’ in suspicious circumstances close to a grouse moor in Bowland, grid ref SD 684601 (here).
17 May 2024: Hen Harrier male (brood meddled in 2023, name R2-M2-23) ‘disappeared’ in suspicious circumstances next to Middlesmoor grouse moor in Nidderdale, grid ref SE043754 (here).
25 June 2024: Hen Harrier female (brood meddled in 2023, name R2-F1-23) ‘disappeared’ in suspicious circumstances on a grouse moor in Yorkshire Dales National Park, grid ref NY985082 (here).
July 2024: Hen Harrier female named ‘Helius’ satellite tagged by the RSPB ‘disappeared’ in suspicious circumstances in Bowland (here).
October 2024: An un-tagged Hen Harrier was seemingly shot on a grouse moor by one of three gamekeepers being secretly filmed by the RSPB (here).
1 October 2024: Hen Harrier female named ‘Dreich’, Tag ID: 254842, ‘disappeared’ in Lanarkshire. Listed by NE as ‘Missing Fate Unknown, site confidential – ongoing investigation‘ (here).
15 October 2024: Hen Harrier male named ‘Baldur’, Tag ID: 240291, ‘disappeared’ in Northumberland. Listed by NE as ‘Missing Fate Unknown, site confidential – ongoing investigation‘ (here).
19 October 2024: Hen Harrier female named ‘Margaret’, Tag ID: 254844, ‘disappeared’ in Northumberland. Listed by NE as ‘Missing Fate Unknown, site confidential – ongoing investigation‘ (here).
12 January 2025: Hen Harrier female named ‘Dina’, Tag ID: 254837, ‘disappeared’ near a grouse moor in the Lammermuirs, south Scotland (grid ref: NT 681512). Listed by NE as ‘Missing Fate Unknown’ (here).
15 January 2025: Hen Harrier female named ‘Red’, hatched on the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve in 2024, ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in County Durham in the North Pennines, in the same area another tagged Hen Harrier (Sia) vanished in 2022 (here).
3 February 2025: Hen Harrier female (brood meddled in 2022, name R3-F2-22) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the North York Moors National Park. Listed by NE as ‘Missing Fate Unknown’ (here).
27 February 2025: Hen Harrier female named ‘Sita’, satellite-tagged on behalf of Hen Harrier Action in Bowland in 2024 and tracked by the RSPB, ‘disappeared’ from a roost site on an unnamed grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here). More details published on 1 October 2025 (here).
4 April 2025: Hen Harrier female named ‘Bonnie’, Tag ID: 254841, ‘disappeared’ in Scotland. Listed by NE as ‘Missing Fate Unknown. Site confidential – ongoing investigation’ (here).
10 April 2025: Hen Harrier female named ‘Gill’, Tag ID: 240294, ‘disappeared’ in Scotland. Listed by NE as ‘Missing Fate Unknown. Site confidential – ongoing investigation’ (here).
May 2025: Male Hen Harrier (with active nest on RSPB Geltsdale Reserve in Cumbria) ‘disappeared’. Strongly suspected to have been shot whilst away hunting on nearby grouse moor (here).
May 2025: Another male Hen Harrier (with another active nest on RSPB Geltsdale Reserve in Cumbria) ‘disappeared’. Strongly suspected to have been shot whilst away hunting on nearby grouse moor (here).
May 2025: Male Hen Harrier called ‘Dynamo’, satellite-tagged by the RSPB and with an active nest on United Utilities-owned land in Bowland, Lancashire, ‘disappeared’. Strongly suspected to have been shot whilst away hunting on a nearby grouse moor (here).
May 2025: Another male Hen Harrier (untagged) with an active nest on United Utilities-owned land in Bowland, Lancashire, ‘disappeared’. Strongly suspected to have been shot whilst away hunting on a nearby grouse moor (here).
To be continued…….
Of these 143 incidents, only one has resulted in an arrest and a subsequent prosecution (ongoing – after a ‘not guilty plea’ a gamekeeper is due in court again in September 2025, see here).
I had thought that when we reached 30 dead/missing Hen Harriers then the authorities might pretend to be interested and at least say a few words about this national scandal. We’ve now reached at least ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY THREE Hen Harriers, and still Govt ministers remain silent on the illegal persecution issue. They appear not to give a monkey’s. And yes, there are other things going on in the world, as always. That is not reason enough to ignore this blatant, brazen and systematic destruction of a supposedly protected species, being undertaken to satisfy the greed and bloodlust of a minority of society.
And let’s not forget the response from the (now former) Moorland Association Chair (and owner of Swinton Estate) Mark Cunliffe-Lister, who told BBC Radio 4 in August 2023 that, “Clearly any illegal [Hen Harrier] persecution is nothappening” (here), in the year when a record 33 Hen Harriers had been confirmed ‘missing’ and/or illegally killed.
Nor should we forget the response from the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust’s (GWCT) Director of Policy Dr Alistair Leake who wrote a letter to the Guardian newspaper in November 2023 stating that the Hen Harrier brood management [meddling] scheme “is surely a shining example of human / wildlife conflict resolution that would be the envy of other countries trying to find similar solutions“ (I kid you not – here).
In addition to the seven outstanding cases from 2024/2025, which are not included on the 143 list above because post-mortems are apparently ‘still pending’ (they’re not pending at all, they’ve been completed but Natural England and the Hen Harrier Task Force are refusing to publicise the results – why is that?), I’m aware of at least anotherseven cases from 2025 that are still to be publicised. There may be others of which I’m not yet aware.
Chicks fledge with RSPB support after suspicious loss of parent Hen Harriers.
In May 2025, over a period of eight days, four breeding male Hen Harriers suspiciously disappeared from their nests in northern England – two from RSPB Geltsdale Nature Reserve in Cumbria, and a further two from the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire.
The disappearances point to yet more illegal killing, which is the main factor limiting the recovery of this rare, red-listed species in the UK.
A quick response by reserve staff and volunteers has resulted in the successful fledging of five Hen Harrier chicks from two of these nests.
Against the odds, five healthy Hen Harrier chicks have now successfully fledged from two nests in Northern England, following the suspected illegal killing of the male parent birds. Two of the nests failed at incubation stage but RSPB staff and volunteers quickly responded to the nests that had youngsters, providing periods of emergency supplementary food, under licence, to the females in a determined effort to save their chicks. In addition to providing food, staff and volunteers ensured the nests were closely monitored.
Two Hen Harrier chicks from the rescued nest at the RSPB’s Geltsdale Reserve in Cumbria (photo RSPB)
Chris Hind, a volunteerat Geltsdale RSPB Reserve ‘’We were incredibly hopeful that our efforts would pay off, but nothing was guaranteed. To see these birds take to the sky after weeks of tough work is fantastic but, as with all Hen Harriers in the UK, these birds face an uncertain future.”
Sadly, the disappearance of the four males fits a pattern and since 2020 a total of eight breeding males have disappeared whilst foraging away from the Geltsdale reserve. In 2023 a satellite-tagged male, known as Dagda, was found shot dead on neighbouring moorland [Ed: see here for Channel 4 News report]. It is highly unusual for a male to naturally desert its nest, and the loss of a male usually has a devastating impact on their breeding success with the female abandoning their nest.
In Bowland, one of the disappearing birds was a satellite tagged individual known as Dynamo, his tag suddenly stopped transmitting with no sign of malfunction. The tag data showed that over the previous 10 days he had remained within six kilometres of the nest but often travelled off the RSPB monitored land to forage. The sudden and suspicious disappearance of satellite tagged Hen Harriers are synonymous with suspected and confirmed incidents of illegal persecution. If birds die naturally, satellite tags still transmit data and are recoverable. Despite a land search at the last point of transmission no body or tag was recovered. Dynamo is the 115th satellite tagged Hen Harrier to have suddenly disappeared in the UK since 2010.
Lancashire and Cumbria Police launched investigations, however, to date no charges have been brought.
A recent RSPB report (Hen Harriers in the firing line) revealed that between 2020 and 2024, 102 confirmed and suspected incidents of Hen Harrier persecution were recorded in the UK, with most of these incidents taking place on or near land managed for grouse shooting. 89% of these incidents were recorded in Northern England.
To effectively prevent these crimes the RSPB is calling for greater regulation of the grouse shooting in England through the introduction of a robust licensing system. Only through this balanced and proportionate approach can a meaningful deterrent to those committing these crimes be introduced. This legislation was introduced in Scotland in 2024, under the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act, whereby estates which are suspected of killing birds of prey may lose their licence to shoot grouse. This legislation has been well received by many within the industry in Scotland, as this legislation only penalises those who deliberately commit these crimes.
Mark Thomas, RSPB Head of Investigations UK: “Sadly, these four missing Hen Harriers are just the latest in a long line of identical incidents recorded over decades and demonstrates the catastrophic knock-on effect to the breeding success and recovery of this species.
‘Those killing Hen Harriers to do so with little or no fear of recrimination. Now is the time for the Westminster government to act on licensing this industry, if it is truly serious about the conservation of this amazing species.’
If you wish to contact us anonymously, call the RSPB’s confidential Raptor Crime Hotline on 0300 999 0101.
ENDS
There’s so much to unpack in this press release. I’ll need to write a number of follow-up blogs to address the issues, that will include:
Why Cumbria Police didn’t issue a press release or an appeal for information following the disappearance of the two adult males from Geltsdale (the RSPB told us about them in May – here);
Why Lancashire Police didn’t issue a press release or an appeal for information following the disappearance of the two adult males from Bowland;
Why the landowner, United Utilities, didn’t issue a press release or an appeal for information following the disappearance of the two adult males from Bowland;
Why the Hen Harrier Taskforce didn’t issue a statement about these four missing Hen Harriers;
Why a number of other police forces haven’t issued a press release or an appeal for information, and the HH Taskforce hasn’t issued a statement, about any of the other recently (i.e. in last few months) confirmed persecuted and ‘missing’ Hen Harriers that are still to be reported publicly;
Why Defra Minister Daniel Zeichner didn’t mention any of these four ‘missing’ Hen Harriers (or any of the others known to have been killed and/or known to have ‘disappeared’ in suspicious circumstances in the last few months), when he was giving the government’s response on 30 June at the Westminster Hall debate on Wild Justice’s petition calling for a ban on driven grouse shooting.
I’ll come back to these issues, and more, shortly…
Meanwhile, well done to the RSPB staff and volunteers who have worked tirelessly to enable these Hen Harriers to fledge, and well done to the RSPB for telling the world about the suspicious disappearances of the four adult males.
UPDATE 24 July 2025: 143 Hen Harriers confirmed ‘missing’ or illegally killed in UK since 2018, most of them on or close to grouse moors (here).
Three young peregrines have successfully fledged from St Albans Cathedral in Hertfordshire.
This is the site where the breeding pair’s first clutch of eggs was trampled on in April 2025, as seen on the Cathedral’s livestream webcam overlooking the peregrine’s nest scrape, leading to a man ‘helping police with enquiries’ (see here, here and here for previous blogs).
Two of the three Peregrine fledglings at the cathedral. Photo by Michael Barrett via BBC website
The police investigation is apparently still ongoing, three months after the trampling incident.
‘Hertfordshire Constabularyhave today confirmed (Friday 11 July) that “Our investigation is ongoing, and we are working with the Crown Prosecution Service following further lines of enquiry.”‘
On 2 May 2025, Police Scotland issued a press statement about how two men had been charged in relation to the illegal killing of Red Kites in the grouse moor-dominated Strathdon area of the Cairngorms National Park in February 2025 (see here).
This general area on the NE side of the Cairngorms National Park has long been identified as a raptor persecution hotspot with several confirmed and alleged offences recorded in the area over a number of years.
The Police said the men would be reported to the Procurator Fiscal but since then there haven’t been any further updates.
NB:As two men have been charged, criminal proceedings are live so any comments about that case will not be published on this blog until proceedings have ended.
Shortly after the police issued that statement, land reform campaigner Andy Wightman published a fascinating blog about the lengths he has gone to to determine who might be the beneficial owner of North Glenbuchat Estate, one of a number of prominent sporting estates in the area – see here.
Photo by Ruth Tingay
Andy writes that he has submitted a report to Police Scotland about the estate owner’s (North Glen Estates Ltd, registered in the Turks and Caicos Islands) alleged failure to register its beneficial owner as required by recent land reform legislation in Scotland.
Andy published an update to his first blog on 13 May 2025 where he outlines how he was waiting for an interview with a Police Scotland officer about his findings (see here).
Andy’s second blog also provides commentary about someone else’s attempt to lodge a complaint about the alleged failure of another company to register the name of the beneficial owner of Craiganour Estate (see blog here).
All three blogs illustrate the ongoing complications of finding out who owns private estates in Scotland. This is of interest to RPUK readers due to the possibility of holding estate owners vicariously liable if certain wildlife crimes, but particularly raptor persecution offences, are proven to have taken place on an estate.
One investigation into alleged vicarious liability for raptor persecution has already been dropped in Scotland after the conviction of a gamekeeper on Kildrummy Estate in NE Scotland in 2014. The authorities tried to identify the owner but failed (see here). NB: The ownership of Kildrummy Estate has since changed hands and gamebird shooting is no longer permitted..
Since the 2014 Kildrummy case the rules around registering ownership have changed in Scotland and technically it should no longer be possible for beneficial owners to hide their identity behind overseas shell companies.
ANOTHER SHOT RAVEN, THE LATEST VICTIM IN THE PEAK DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK
In February 2025 a Raven was found shot near Bradfield, South Yorkshire, following a similar incident in the same area 6 months earlier.
This incident is the latest in a series of confirmed persecution incidents involving protected birds in this area of the Peak District National Park in recent years.
In August 2024, a Raven was found shot dead near Agden Side Road, Bradfield – within the Peak District National Park. Although South Yorkshire Police appealed for the public’s help, no one has been charged in connection with the offence. [RPUK comment: it took South Yorkshire Police 3.5 months to issue an appeal for information about this illegal shooting – see here].
We can now reveal that six months later, on 2 February 2025, another dead Raven was discovered by a member of the public – less than three kilometres away from the location of the first incident.
The latest shot Raven. Photo by RSPB
An x-ray revealed several pieces of shot embedded in the Raven’s body. Post-mortem analysis confirmed that it had been shot with a shotgun, and died instantly, or shortly after being shot. The RSPB Investigations team reported the crime to South Yorkshire Police and assisted with the investigation, but again no one has been identified or charged in connection with the incident.
Despite it being illegal to intentionally kill, injure or take a wild bird in the UK, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, Ravens and bird of prey species are being illegally targeted and killed in many upland areas of the UK.
Sadly, there is a long history of incidents involving the illegal killing of protected bird species in the Peak District National Park, including birds of prey and Ravens. In addition to the two shot Ravens, in the last five years (2020-2024) 17 illegal persecution incidents involving 17 individual birds of prey, and a dog, have been recorded in the National Park. These confirmed incidents have involved a number of bird of prey species being shot trapped and poisoned, including Buzzards and Short-eared Owls, and also rare and recovering species, such as Peregrine Falcons, Goshawks and a Hen Harrier. These figures are likely to represent the tip of the iceberg as only a fraction of these incidents are detected and reported – with the true figure likely being significantly higher.
In February 2022, a satellite-tagged male Hen Harrier (a red-listed species), disappeared after roosting on a grouse moor in the Peak District National Park. The satellite tag – which the police confirmed had been deliberately cut off – was found three days later, suggesting the bird was shot and the tag removed and discarded away from the location. This incident would have gone undetected, if the Hen Harrier had not been satellite tagged.
See the table below for more information relating to these crimes. All incidents were reported to the police, but no one has been identified or charged in connection with any of these crimes.
Tom Grose, RSPB Investigations Officer, said: “The ‘Peak District National Park’ – a place many of us visit to enjoy nature – is still a notorious hotspot for the illegal killing of birds of prey and Ravens. These dramatic, upland landscapes should be safe havens for protected species, but time and again we see evidence of serious wildlife crimes. Tragically, what we uncover is likely just the tip of the iceberg. In areas this vast and isolated, many more incidents will go undetected.”
Phil Mulligan, Chief Executive for the Peak District National Park Authority, said: “Extensive work to restore areas of degraded moorland in the Peak District National Park means the moors are in a better state than they have been for the last 200 years. However, birds of prey, an essential part of the ecosystem, are conspicuously absent or under-represented in many parts of the Peak District. Their illegal killing is a blight on these internationally important moors and deprives people of the spectacular wildlife experiences they provide. The National Park Authority unequivocally condemns wildlife crime and calls on landowners and managers to help prevent the actions of a small number of people from tarnishing the reputation of the majority“.
Many of these incidents have taken place on land managed for grouse shooting and the two Ravens were found very close to grouse moorland, although it is unknown who may have shot them.
The RSPB is urging the UK Government to introduce a licensing scheme in England for grouse shooting (as is now law in Scotland) and gamebird shooting. If criminal activity – such as the killing of protected birds is detected on an estate, then this licence could be revoked, which could be a powerful deterrent.
If you have any information relating to either of these incidents or any other crimes involving the illegal killing or targeting of birds of prey, please contact South Yorkshire Police and the RSPB Investigations team. Call the Police on 101 and fill in the RSPB’s online reporting form: www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/wild-bird-crime-report-form If you have information about anyone killing Ravens or birds of prey which you wish to report anonymously, please call the RSPB’s confidential Raptor Crime Hotline on 0300 999 0101.
ENDS
All incident grid references either sit within or intersect with the Peak District National Park boundary.
It took the police 3.5 months to issue an appeal for information about the Raven was found shot in August 2024. This time, it’s been left to the RSPB to issue a press release, four months after the latest Raven was found shot in February 2025. It’s notable that this press release doesn’t include any comment or quote from South Yorkshire Police.
The RSPB press release includes this line:
‘…the two Ravens were found very close to grouse moorland, although it is unknown who may have shot them‘.
Yep, it’s a tricky one, that. Whoever could it have been?
Meanwhile, the issue of banning driven grouse shooting will return to Westminster for another debate on 30 June 2025. The continued illegal shooting, trapping and poisoning of birds of prey (Ravens are not birds of prey but are considered by many to be ‘honorary raptors’ given their similar ecological niche) is one of the core reasons why we continue to call for a ban.
Press release from National Parks & Wildlife Service (30 May 2025)
Minister O’Sullivan calls for co-operation in the investigation of the possible poisoning of a white-tailed eagle
The National Parks & Wildlife Service appeals to the public for information
An investigation is underway following the discovery of one of Ireland’s oldest breeding white-tailed eagles, Caimin (Y) who was found dead in Clare last Saturday. Initial post mortem results from the Regional Veterinary Laboratory indicate a possible death from poisoning.
Caimin held territory at the Mountshannon nest site on Lough Derg for the past seventeen years. During that time, he mated and fledged a number of chicks. He was one of the first chicks to arrive as part of an NPWS Reintroduction Programme to bring back this formerly extinct species to Irish skies and was released from Killarney National Park in 2008. All of the white-tailed eagle chicks reintroduced under the programme are fitted with satellite tags, which enables them to be monitored and tracked.
White-tailed Eagle ‘Caimin’. Photo by Bob Foyle
In 2013, Camin mated with Saoirshe, a female eagle who was also part of the Reintroduction Programme. They became the first white-tailed eagles to successfully raise and fledge chicks in the wild in Ireland in over one hundred years. Caimin raised and fledged chicks into the wild until 2016, when Saoirshe died of Avian Influenza. He held the territory and mated again with Bernardine (B) in 2023 to successfully fledge more chicks to the wild from the same nest site in Mountshannon. Despite the loss of her mate, Bernardine is continuing to raise a chick on the nest site in Mountshannon.
Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan said:
“Any loss in the wild not due to natural causes, is usually the result of human activity and this tragic loss of a wonderfully aged bird, breeding happily in the Irish wild, is deeply regrettable.
“The Reintroduction Programme had been making significant progress in restoring this lost flagship species to Irish skies. These birds are part of Ireland’s natural heritage and are important for our biodiversity, as they are a good indicator species regarding the health of our ecosystems.
“We will continue with our efforts to introduce, nurture and protect these birds and I have tasked the NPWS with leaving no stone unturned to try to get to the bottom of this heinous potential crime.”
Eamonn Meskell, Divisional Manager, NPWS said:
“The knowing destruction of this wonderful bird of prey displays a wanton disregard for our re-introduction and nature protection efforts.
“These noble birds are beloved of the public and each loss is keenly felt by them and indeed by the staff of NPWS who have nurtured these birds from chicks to fledglings, onto adult life and into successfully breeding pairs. We know we can rely on the public’s help in this investigation”.
The main threat to the species in Ireland is persecution, predominantly through shooting and the illegal use of poison and wind turbine strikes. The misuse/illegal use of poisons accounts for nearly 50% of eagle deaths where the cause of mortality was able to be determined. Other causes of death include wind turbine strikes, lead shot poisoning and shooting. Avian Influenza and adverse weather also negatively impacted the breeding population.
If you have any information, please notify your local Garda station or your local National Parks and Wildlife Service office.
Last week I blogged about an appeal for information that had been posted on North Yorkshire Police’s Facebook page, in relation to ‘the suspected shooting of a buzzard‘ near Goathland on 2nd May 2025 (see here).
I’d noted that the appeal was quite vague. It wasn’t clear if the appeal was a result of a witness report of someone seen shooting towards a buzzard or whether a corpse had been found and was awaiting post mortem.
I’ve since been informed by a reliable local source that a dead buzzard had been found and an x-ray revealed it had been shot.
Having a corpse with shot in it is a confirmed shooting, not a suspected shooting.
Without seeing the x-ray it’s not possible for us to determine if it had been shot close to where the body was discovered (e.g. if its wing bones had been shattered by the shot then it’s unlikely to have been able to fly any distance) so it may have been shot near Goathland or it may have been shot elsewhere and just succumbed to its injuries close to the Duchy of Lancaster grouse moor.
It’s obviously pure coincidence that the grouse moors near to Goathland just happen to be a raptor persecution hotspot.
It’s pointless asking North Yorkshire Police for further information about this buzzard – they routinely refuse to answer such requests.
Raptor Persecution UK 