I’ve read two blogs recently that suggest we might be heading for yet another pointless and futile ‘dialogue’ process, purportedly to find a ‘solution’ to the ongoing illegal killing of hen harriers on grouse moors.
Representatives of the criminals within the driven grouse shooting industry would be on one side of the table and conservationists and the police on the other.
This hen harrier was euthanised after suffering catastrophic leg injuries in an illegal trap set next to its nest on a grouse moor in Scotland in 2019. Photo by Ruth Tingay
The first public indication that this dialogue process was being mooted appeared in a blog published by the charity Hen Harrier Action at the end of January 2025 (here). The charity had interviewed Detective Inspector Mark Harrison of the National Wildlife Crime Unit, who leads on the Hen Harrier Task Force.
In that interview, DI Harrison is quoted as follows:
“We are applying for funding from DEFRA to use the IUCN Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence Guidelines as a tool for building for the future. This funding will bring in independent facilitators to collaborate with key stakeholders to find and implement long term solutions. We hope that this funding will be for three years“.
The second blog which refers to the same dialogue process is this one, posted three days ago on the Northern England Raptor Forum’s website (NERF represents raptor fieldworkers across northern England).
The NERF blog starts off with a response to the suspicious disappearance of satellite-tagged hen harrier ‘Red’, who hatched on the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve last year but then vanished on a grouse moor in the North Pennines in January 2025 (here).
It then moves on to the so-called ‘conflict resolution’ dialogue process, as follows:
“In the meantime, the MA [Moorland Association] are demanding that NE and Defra undertake another round of conflict resolution claiming that the killing of Hen Harriers is the result of human animal conflict as defined by the ICUN Guidelines. This assertion is dismissed by conservation groups, including by NERF, as irrelevant. The so-called conflict is entirely the result of criminals who consistently break the law at will killing Hen Harriers throughout the North of England. It is evident that there are many in the grouse shooting industry who will not be satisfied until Hen Harriers are extinct in the North of England.
“If the rumours are correct and a new round of conflict resolution is being entered into it will be yet another victory for the grouse shooting industry who will have kicked the problem into the long grass, again. Apparently, the plan is for the process to last for 3 years and cost £400, 000. If past experience is anything to go by the process will last longer and cost significantly more than the original estimate. How much of the estimated cost will come from the public purse is not known at the moment, however any intent to squander tax payer’s money on this flawed idea should be resisted. Hardly a day goes by without a Cabinet Minister reminding us that they inherited a £22 billion ‘black hole’. Government Departments are having their budgets slashed and staff numbers are being reduced. Natural England’s Hen Harrier field team is being reduced from 3 to 2. £400k could pay for that field worker to be retained for up to 10 years“.
The earlier conflict resolution process that NERF refers to was known as the ‘Hen Harrier Dialogue’ which began nineteen years ago in 2006 and was hosted by The Environment Council. It dragged on until 2013, by which time the breeding population of hen harriers in England had fallen to just a single, successful pair, the RSPB had walked away from the dialogue (here), later followed by NERF (here) and then the Hawk & Owl Trust (here).
The dialogue process was a complete and utter failure. It achieved absolutely nothing in terms of hen harrier conservation but was used by the grouse shooting industry as a politically-pleasing gesture and a useful delaying ploy.
The sham hen harrier brood meddling trial followed, between 2018 – 2024, which proved that attitudes in the grouse shooting industry towards hen harriers remained firmly in the Victorian era with at least 134 hen harriers ‘disappearing’ or confirmed illegally killed since the trial began, most of them on or close to grouse moors.
*n/a – no hen harriers were brood meddled in 2018. **Post mortem reports on a further six hen harriers found dead in 2024 are awaited.
We are currently awaiting a formal review of the brood meddling sham by Natural England and a decision on whether NE will issue a licence to the grouse shooting industry for further brood meddling this year and in the years ahead (see here).
It’s an oft-repeated phenomenon that whenever someone ‘new’ gets involved in the issue of hen harrier persecution, indeed the issues relating to all raptor persecution, that they call for all ‘sides’ to sit down together, build partnerships and reach a resolution that will end the illegal killing.
It’s an understandable and seemingly sensible idea. That is, until you look back at the history of this issue and realise that one ‘side’, i.e. the criminals within the shooting industry, simply aren’t prepared to tolerate hen harriers / raptors on ‘their’ grouse moors because of the perceived threat to ‘their’ red grouse.
Pseudo ‘partnerships’ with the game-shooting industry have been set-up so many times, only to fail miserably in the face of ongoing illegal persecution and abject denial from the shooting industry’s representatives (e.g. see here, here, here, here, here, here, here).
As far as I can see, nothing has changed to suggest that setting up yet another sham partnership to address the illegal killing of hen harriers on driven grouse moors will do anything other than provide the criminals with yet another opportunity to masquerade in public as law-abiding, responsible custodians whilst in private continuing to shoot, trap, stamp on, and pull the heads and wings off any hen harrier that dares to go anywhere near a driven grouse moor.
The time for talking ended years ago.
Sign the Wild Justice petition calling for a ban on driven grouse shooting HERE. It is currently supported by 69,000 people. It requires 100,000 people to sign it, before 22 May 2025, to trigger a debate in the Westminster parliament.
UPDATE 9 July 2025: Defra refuses funding for another futile ‘dialogue’ process to address ongoing killing of Hen Harriers on grouse moors (here).
Following yesterday’s news that a red kite has been found shot dead in the Glenbuchat area of Strathdon (here), the Cairngorms National Park Authority has issued the following statement:
STATEMENT ON RED KITE
28th February 2025
The Cairngorms National Park Authority has issued the following statement in relation to the death of a red kite in the Glenbuchat area of Strathdon:
“The Park Authority have been informed by Police Scotland that a red kite was found dead in the Glenbuchat area of Strathdon earlier this month. Police Scotland have confirmed that the red kite had been shot.
The shot red kite. Photo by RSPB Scotland
“The Park Authority condemns the illegal killing of raptors in the strongest possible terms. Raptor persecution has no place in 21st century Scotland but sadly incidents such as this are still taking place. It is an unacceptable crime that not only harms our raptor populations, but also damages the reputation of those land managers that act lawfully and work hard to care for wildlife.
“We are committed to working with partners to make sure the National Park is a safe haven for raptors and to establish the full circumstances of this incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0846 of Thursday 27 February. Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously”.
Press release from Police Scotland (28 February 2025):
APPEAL FOR INFORMATION AFTER BIRD OF PREY SHOT NEAR STRATHDON
Officers are appealing for information after a bird of prey was shot near Strathdon.
On Wednesday, 26 February 2025, we received a report of a red kite having being shot sometime between Monday, 3 and Tuesday, 4 February in the Glenbuchat area of Strathdon after being found by a member of the public.
The bird was recovered with the assistance of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) where the cause of death was not apparent at that time. Following further investigations, it has been established that the bird had been shot and police were contacted.
Detective Constable Danny Crilley of the Wildlife Crime Unit said: “Red kites are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act and it is illegal to kill any protected species.
“Enquiries are ongoing and we are working with our partner agencies to establish the full circumstances of this incident.
“I would appeal to anyone with any information that may assist our investigation to contact us. Your information could be vital in in establishing what has happened. If you were in the Glenbuchat area on Monday, 3 or Tuesday, 4 February, and saw anything suspicious or have any information about shooting activity in the area, please contact us.
“Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0846 of Thursday, 27 February. Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously.”
ENDS
First of all, well done to Police Scotland for issuing a speedy appeal for information, just two days after being notified about this shot red kite.
It’s not clear from the press release whether this shot raptor was found on or next to a grouse moor. However, the ‘Glenbuchat area of Strathdon’ is certainly in close proximity to land managed for driven grouse shooting.
The Strathdon area of the Cairngorms National Park has long been recognised as a raptor persecution hotspot, as this map demonstrates:
This is a map I published in 2020 following the discovery of a poisoned White-tailed eagle on an unnamed grouse moor in the area (here).
The black dots on the map represent raptor persecution incidents recorded between 2005-2020, based on data from the RSPB, the golden eagle satellite tag review, and other data in the public domain. The Strathdon area is circled.
Those incidents in Strathdon include a poisoned raven (2006), a poisoned common gull (2006), multiple poisoned baits (2006), a shot buzzard (2009), a poisoned golden eagle (2011), a poisoned buzzard (2011), poisoned bait (2011), a shot short-eared owl (2011), two satellite-tagged golden eagles ‘disappearing’ (2011), another satellite-tagged golden eagle ‘disappearing’ (2013), a satellite-tagged white-tailed eagle ‘disappearing’ (2014), a goshawk nest shot out by masked men (2014), a shot goshawk (2016), another satellite-tagged golden eagle ‘disappearing’ (2017), a satellite-tagged hen harrier ‘disappearing’ (2018), another satellite-tagged hen harrier ‘disappearing’ (2019), and another satellite-tagged hen harrier ‘disappearing’ (2020).
Nobody was prosecuted in any of these cases.
The Strathdon area was also identified as a golden eagle persecution hotspot in the Scottish Government-commissioned scientific report, Analyses of the fates of satellite-tracked golden eagles in Scotland, published in 2017 and eventually leading to the introduction of the grouse moor licensing scheme in 2024:
It would be interesting to know whether this shot red kite was found on or next to a grouse moor and if it was, whether an associated grouse moor licence will be revoked as a consequence, which was the clear intention of the Scottish Parliament when it voted through the Wildlife Management & Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024 almost a year ago last March.
My guess is that it won’t lead to a licence revocation, even if the red kite was found on or close to a grouse moor, because it will be virtually impossible to connect its death to the management of the grouse moor (as the new, shambolic and unenforceable licence condition now specifies).
Just like the shot osprey found in the Angus Glens on the opening day of the grouse-shooting season in August 2024 (here) and the shot peregrine, also found in the Angus Glens, in September 2024 (here), there won’t be any consequences for those responsible.
The raptor killers are still at, and they’re still getting away with their crimes.
For those who think the grouse moor licensing scheme is failing, and that the Scottish Government hasn’t shown any signs of intending to fix it even though it acknowledges there are issues (e.g. see here), there’s an alternative option – and that is to ban driven grouse shooting.
Wild Justice currently has a live petition calling for such a ban. It’s been supported by 67,432 members of the public so far but needs 100,000 signatures to trigger a Parliamentary debate. Please sign here to support it.
UPDATE 1st March 2025: Cairngorms National Park Authority condemns latest shooting of red kite (here)
UPDATE 2 May 2025: Two men charged in relation to illegal killing of Red Kites in Cairngorms National Park (here)
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 most recently reported victim, ‘Red’, who hatched on the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve in 2024 and ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the North Pennines in January 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. Natural England is currently undertaking a review of the ‘trial’ and a report is expected soon.
Brood meddling has been 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 134 hen harriers gone since 2018, and 30 of those being brood meddled birds, there is no question that the grouse shooting industry is simply taking the piss. Meanwhile, Natural England pretends that ‘partnership working’ is the way to go and consecutive DEFRA Ministers have remained silent.
*n/a – no hen harriers were brood meddled in 2018. **Post mortem reports on a further six hen harriers found dead in 2024 are awaited.
‘Partnership working’ according to Natural England appears 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 that prevents Natural England from criticising them or the sham brood meddling trial (see here). This is in addition to a £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 and it’s been met with resistance from the Moorland Association, the grouse moor owners’ lobby group (here) and so far, illegal persecution 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 brilliant exposure by Channel 4 News).
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, #R2-F2-20) ‘disappeared’ from winter roost (same as #R3-F1-22) on moorland in North Pennines AONB (here). Later found dead with 3 shotgun pellets in corpse.
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.
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, tag #55144, name: 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).
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 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).
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).
To be continued…….
Not one of these 134 incidents has resulted in an arrest, let alone a prosecution. 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 ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY FOUR 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).
Wild Justice has launched another petition calling for a ban on driven grouse shooting. This latest petition is intended to gauge the view of the new Labour Government, as previous petitions were all lodged under the Conservative Government with its well-documented vested interests. Labour issued an appallingly pathetic interim response to the petition in January 2025, via DEFRA, which indicated it had no intention of banning driven grouse shooting (see here).
The petition is live until 22 May 2025 and needs 100,000 signatures to qualify for a debate in Westminster Hall. It’s currently on 65,000 signatures. If you haven’t yet signed it, it’s here.
UPDATE 14 April 2025: Natural England / DEFRA turns down licence application for hen harrier brood meddling in 2025 (here)
SATTELITE-TAGGED HEN HARRIER DISAPPEARS IN SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES
The rare bird was being monitored by the RSPB and the sudden failure of the bird’s tag is being treated as suspicious
Hen Harriers are on the red list of conservation concern, with illegal killing the key factor limiting their recovery.
The RSPB is pressing Westminster to introduce licensing in England for all gamebird shooting, to afford birds of prey greater protection
Durham Police and the RSPB are appealing for information after a protected Hen Harrier disappeared in suspicious circumstances in County Durham in January.
The young female bird hatched on a Scottish nest in 2024 and was named Red by local schoolchildren. Whilst still a chick, Red was fitted with a satellite tag in 2024 as part of an RSPB programme to gather more information about this rare and persecuted species. The tags, fitted when the birds are still in the nest, are worn like tiny rucksacks and continue to transmit even after a bird dies.
Hen harrier ‘Red’ hatched on the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve in 2024
After fledging her nest, Red flew into England and spent the winter in the North Pennines. On 15 January, her tag showed her to be roosting on a grouse moor near Hamsterley Forest. After this, the daily transmissions unexpectedly ceased.
Durham Police carried out a search of the area but found no sign of the bird or the tag.
Another Hen Harrier, Sia, disappeared in similarly suspicious circumstances nearby in 2022 [Ed: see here]. Her tag had also been functioning normally until that point.
The RSPB is urging the government to introduce a licensing scheme for grouse and gamebird shooting, as is now law in Scotland. If criminal activity – such as raptor persecution – is detected on an estate, then this licence can be removed.
Hen Harriers are rare breeding birds and fully protected by law. They are known for their acrobatic ‘skydancing’ courtship display which they perform above upland moors in spring. There were just 25 successful Hen Harrier nests in England 2024, despite a previous independent government report finding that there is enough habitat and food to support over 300 pairs. Illegal killing continues to be the main factor limiting the recovery of the UK Hen Harrier population.
A scientific study published in the journal Biological Conservation found that survival rates of Hen Harriers were ‘unusually low’, and illegal killing was identified as a major cause. And previously, a 2019 Government study concluded that Hen Harriers suffer elevated levels of mortality on grouse moors, most likely as a result of illegal killing. The RSPB’s Birdcrime report also found that 75% of all individuals convicted of bird of prey persecution-related offences from 2009 to 2023 were connected to the gamebird shooting industry.
Howard Jones, RSPB Senior Investigations Officer, said:
“The disappearance of Red is a huge blow for a struggling species where every bird counts. Should a tagged bird die, its tag would continue transmitting, allowing us to recover the body. This was not the case, which strongly suggests human interference.
“This latest incident follows a clear pattern of Hen Harriers disappearing on driven grouse moors. It’s overwhelmingly clear that action must be taken to protect these birds in these landscapes. Licensing of driven grouse shooting estates must be implemented to ensure all estates are operating within the law, and to protect birds like Hen Harriers from persistent persecution“.
If you have information about anyone killing birds of prey which you wish to report anonymously, call the RSPB’s confidential Raptor Crime Hotline on 0300 999 0101.
ENDS
So here we are again. Yet another hen harrier ‘vanishes’ on yet another grouse moor. The name of the grouse moor hasn’t been made public but we know that Hen Harrier ‘Red’ disappeared in the same area where another young hen harrier, called ‘Sia’, also disappeared in suspicious circumstances in 2022.
The hen harrier killers couldn’t even get through the first month of a new year without committing yet another offence.
Why does it keep happening? Simple. Nobody has been caught or prosecuted in any of the (now) 134 cases we know about in recent years, and the chances of anyone being caught or prosecuted are virtually none existent, so there is absolutely no deterrent whatsoever to stop this happening again and again and again.
We know that Natural England is currently undertaking a review of the ludicrous Hen Harrier Brood Meddling ‘trial’ which ran from 2018 – 2024 (see here) and was supposed to bring an end to the routine, systematic slaughter of these birds. My understanding is that this review is being done relatively quickly because representatives of the grouse shooting industry have apparently applied for another brood meddling licence for 2025, laughingly termed a ‘conservation’ licence, and I’ll be writing about that soon.
Meanwhile, the RSPB says it is urging the Government to introduce a licensing scheme for grouse shooting in England, along the same lines as the new scheme in Scotland. They’re wasting their time – the legislation in Scotland has already been sabotaged by the grouse shooting industry resulting in a severely weakened licensing system that is virtually unenforceable.
Instead, Wild Justice has launched a petition calling for a ban on driven grouse shooting as the only viable option on the table. The petition is live until 22 May 2025 and needs 100,000 signatures to qualify for a debate in Westminster Hall. It’s currently on 64,000 signatures. If you haven’t yet signed it, it’s here.
I’ll shortly be updating the hen harrier death list, which now stands at 134 hen harriers confirmed ‘missing’ or illegally killed in the UK since 2018, mostly on or close to grouse moors. If the additional six dead hen harriers currently still awaiting post mortems turn out to have been illegally killed, the death list will stand at 140 hen harriers.
UPDATE 22 February 2025: 134 hen harriers confirmed ‘missing’ or illegally killed in UK since 2018, most of them on or close to grouse moors (here)
The following statement and photo was posted on social media on 19 January 2025:
GWENT POLICE: Another busy weekend for the rural crime team that included responding to a report of 2 dead birds of prey. Found in suspicious circumstances, they have been recovered for autopsy via the Wildlife Investigation Team (WIIS).
Lincolnshire Police posted the following on social media yesterday:
Sadly the beautiful buzzard in the picture has died as a result of being shot.
The bird was found alive on Saturday 4 January at Grainthorpe and taken to the emergency vets where it was treated and later collected by Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue. The buzzard didn’t survive it’s injuries. Crime ref 24*10683 refers.
If is an offence to kill or injure any wild bird. They are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is also an offence to interfere with nests, or remove any chicks or eggs.
DC Aaron Flint from our Rural Crime Action Team said: “I’d like to hear from anyone who has information about the shooting of birds in our county. Please don’t think it’s not worth reporting, it very much is and helps us to build a picture of this sort of crime.”
If you have any information that will help with this investigation or similar offences, please get in touch by emailing aaron.flint@lincs.police.uk.
Alternatively contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at Crimestoppers-uk.org.
Press release from The National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS), 14 January 2025:
INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF A WHITE-TAILED EAGLE IN COUNTY WESTMEATH
The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) appeal to the public for information.
The NPWS has launched an investigation following the recent shooting dead of a White-tailed Eagle beside Lough Owel, near Mullingar, Co. Westmeath and is appealing to the public for information.
The two-year old female eagle was part of the NPWS White-tailed Eagle Reintroduction Programme. She was released in 2022 on the Shannon Estuary. Investigating officers have established that the bird was shot, but, are awaiting further results of forensic analysis that may provide additional information.
The NPWS deplores the deliberate killing of rare and endangered species, and takes bird of prey persecutions extremely seriously.
NPWS is appealing for any information the public may have in relation to the incident.
As part of the reintroduction programme, White-tailed Eagle chicks are fitted with satellite tags to monitor their movement. Information from the satellite tag for the dead eagle indicates that she died sometime on Friday the 6th of December, the day before Storm Darragh, in the Ballynafid / Portnashangan area at Lough Owel.
Satellite information shows that she was present in the area over the previous couple of weeks having travelled widely across the country since her release in 2022. In early 2023, she left north Kerry, and spent time at various locations along the western seaboard. She also travelled to Donegal and spent a lot of time making trips over and back to north Antrim, Fermanagh, Cavan and other counties, including visiting Lough Ree in the north midlands. Lately she had come back to Westmeath where she moved between local lakes- Lough Owel, Lough Derravaragh and Lough Ennell.
Members of the public can contact the NPWS by emailing wildlifeenforcement@npws.gov.ie. All reports will be treated in the strictest of confidence.
ENDS
There is a further NWPS statement dated 15 January 2025:
MINISTER NOONAN APPEALS TO THE PUBLIC FOR INFORMATION FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF A WHITE-TAILED EAGLE AT LOUGH OWEL IN CO. WESTMEATH
“Like all who cherish our wildlife, I was devastated to hear of the recent shooting dead of a White-tailed Eagle beside Lough Owel, near Mullingar in Co. Westmeath. White Tailed Eagles are magnificent creatures; their presence are such good indicators of the health of our ecosystems and countryside and now part of our wider efforts to restore nature. It is an absolute deplorable act to kill such a rare and endangered species.
“This young female eagle was part of the very successful NPWS White Tailed Eagle Reintroduction Programme in partnership with Norway. I was honoured to be present at the release of these stunning creatures to the wild in my role as Minister of State for Nature and Heritage.
“After being released into the Shannon Estuary in 2022 she had peacefully settled into the Irish landscape travelling from north Kerry, spending time in Western Seaboard before travelling to Armagh, Fermanagh, Cavan and other counties, including visiting Lough Ree in the north midlands. Lately she had returned to Westmeath where she moved between local lakes- Lough Owel, Lough Derravaragh and Lough Ennell. Satellite tags fitted by NPWS indicate that she died on 6th December the day before Storm Darragh, in the Ballynafid/ Portnashangan area at Lough Owel.
“White Tailed Eagles are treasured by local communities and visitors to Ireland alike and any loss resonates throughout. I appeal to the public to come forward with any information that they may have in relation to this incident. I am assured that NPWS are undertaking a thorough investigation led by the Wildlife Crime Directorate with the support of An Garda Siochána and will, where possible, bring the perpetrators of this unacceptable crime to justice. Members of the public can contact the NPWS by emailing wildlifeenforcement@npws.gov.ie. All reports will be treated in the strictest of confidence“.
Raptor Persecution UK 