GAMEKEEPER PLEADS GUILTY IN ENGLAND’S FIRST EVER HEN HARRIER PERSECUTION CASE
On 29 January at York Magistrates Court Racster Dingwall – a head gamekeeper on the Conistone and Grassington Estate in the Yorkshire Dales National Park – pleaded guilty to conspiring to kill Hen Harrier.
Footage and sound recordings obtained lawfully by the RSPB’s Investigations team were instrumental in detecting this crime and securing the conviction.
The RSPB is calling for licensing of grouse shooting as the illegal killing of Hen Harriers, associated with land managed for grouse shooting, is having a detrimental impact on their populations.
Convicted gamekeeper Racster Dingwall (on left) leaves York Magistrates’ Court with his solicitor after sentencing this morning (photo by Ruth Tingay)
On 2 October 2024, video and sound evidence gathered lawfully by the RSPB Investigations team showed Racster Dingwall, the Head Gamekeeper on the Conistone and Grassington Estate, and two other men arriving at dusk at a Hen Harrier roost site on the estate. All were in camouflage with shotguns.
Hen Harriers use traditional, often communal, roost sites in winter where birds come together for safety and shelter, typically in dense vegetation like sedge or reed beds, gathering at dusk and leaving at dawn. Over decades, the RSPB has received detailed information relating to Hen Harriers being shot and killed at these roosts on grouse moors.
Radio conversations made between the three men were covertly recorded by the RSPB. Often talking in code, they are heard coordinating their positions around the roost in an effort to locate Hen Harriers and determine the best position from which to shoot them.
They are also heard discussing protected birds shot that day, including a Buzzard and a Raven. Crucially, during the conversation it is emphasised that any satellite tagged Hen Harriers should not be shot at this location, as it would result in unwanted attention on the roost from the authorities.
A Hen Harrier is spotted and then lands in the roost but is seen to have ‘a box on it’ – a satellite tag. These small tracking devices are fitted to some Hen Harriers before they fledge the nest to help track and monitor individual bird’s movements. Satellite tag data has helped highlight many confirmed and suspected incidents of Hen Harrier persecution in recent years that would otherwise have gone undetected.
The three men are clearly frustrated that the bird has a tracker fitted and a decision is made not to kill the bird as it would attract attention but to scare the bird off the roost with some warning shots – which can clearly be heard on the footage. Significantly an untagged Hen Harrier is then spotted at the roost. RSPB footage shows Dingwall loading his gun and walking in the direction of the roost. A single shot is then heard, followed by congratulatory radio comments, including Dingwall saying he had been sure the bird was untagged. All the men then leave as darkness falls.
These types of raptor persecution crimes are almost undetectable, as they happen in remote locations and during unsociable hours, away from public eyes.
RSPB shared their findings with North Yorkshire Police, NWCU and Channel 4 news – who broadcast the footage with locations and identities obscured to not compromise an investigation.
Racster Dingwall was charged with:
Possession of an article capable of being used to commit a summary offence under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981.
Encouraging and assisting in the commission of a summary offence, believing it would be committed.
A legal hearing in September 2025 ruled that RSPB video and sound recording evidence was admissible in the case, after the defence went to considerable efforts to try to exclude it from the case. [Ed: RPUK commentary on that here]
On 29 January 2026 at York Magistrates Court, Racster Dingwall pleaded guilty to both offences and was ordered to pay a total of £800. No charges were brought against the other unidentified individuals who were interviewed by the police but refused to speak throughout.
Mark Thomas, UK Head of Investigations: “This landmark conviction has shone a light on this issue, revealing the lengths individuals will go to in order to illegally target these protected birds of prey. Shockingly, over 100 Hen Harriers have been confirmed or suspected to have been illegally killed on or near grouse moors in the UK in just the last five years. The RSPB will not rest until the future for this bird is secured and that can only happen with legislative change. Government licensing of grouse shooting is now essential to change practices in thissector“.
Howard Jones, RSPB Senior Investigations Officer: “Once again, RSPB video evidence has been crucial in securing a significant conviction for raptor persecution. We were pleased that the RSPB’s covert evidence, so brilliantly gathered by the team, was ruled admissible in this case and we thank the Police, the NWCU and the CPS for their work in securingjustice“.
To effectively prevent crimes against birds of prey the RSPB is calling for greater regulation of gamebird shooting through the introduction of licensing. Similar legislation was introduced in Scotland in 2024, under the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act, for grouse shooting. Under this legislation, if an estate is suspected of killing birds of prey, it may lose its licence to shoot grouse. Evidence is based on a civil rather than a criminal burden of proof. This legislation has been well received by many within the industry in Scotland, only penalising those who deliberately commit these crimes.
James Robinson, RSPB Chief Operating Officer:“Today’s outcome is progress, but it’s not a solution. This crisis will only continue if we don’t see significant legislative change which these birds desperately need. Through the introduction of licensing for all gamebird shooting across the UK these crimes can be effectively deterred and prevented. If we’re going to give these rare species any hope of recovery, we need governments to actnow“.
In a further twist, the satellite tagged Hen Harrier that was deliberately scared from the roost was an RSPB tagged bird, called Ataksak. She had fledged from a nest in the Forest of Bowland just three months previously. Tragically in January 2025, Ataksak was found dead very close to another grouse moor in North Yorkshire. Toxicological analysis revealed that she had died after ingesting a highly toxic mixture of pesticides known by experts as the Nidderdale cocktail, which has been associated with numerous bird of prey persecution incidents in recent years. This incident is yet another crime against a Hen Harrier and is also under investigation by North Yorkshire Police. There is no known connection between the two incidents.
The RSPB thanks North Yorkshire Police, the NWCU and the Crown Prosecution Service for their vital role in investigating and prosecuting this case.
Members of the public are urged to report any suspected incidents of bird of prey persecution by contacting the police on 101 and by submitting a report to the RSPB. This can be done via the RSPB’s online reporting form at www.rspb.org.uk/report-crimes or by calling the RSPB’s confidential Raptor Crime Hotline on 0300 999 0101. Reports via the RSPB’s reporting form and Raptor Crime Hotline can be made in confidence and anonymously.
ENDS
There’s SO much more to say about this case, and particularly what went on in court this morning. I’ll come to it as soon as I can.
In the meantime, huge congratulations to the RSPB’s Investigations Team, whose skill and expertise resulted in such high quality film footage and audio, without which this case would never have made it to court, let alone a conviction. This is the second case this month where RSPB covert footage has led to a gamekeeper being convicted of offences related to raptor persecution (the other one was reported here).
Predictably, in a pathetic attempt to divert attention away from these PR disasters, the game-shooting industry has recently ramped up its smear campaign against members of the RSPB’s Investigations Team in an attempt to undermine and discredit the team’s work. I’ll blog more about that in due course.
Meanwhile, for any decent, law-abiding member of the public who wants to show their appreciation and support for the work of the RSPB’s Investigations Team, you might want to consider making a small donation, which will go specifically towards investigations – please see here.
UPDATE 18.00hrs: Statement from North Yorkshire Police on conviction of gamekeeper Racster Dingwall (here)
UPDATE 30 January 2026: Some commentary on the conviction and sentencing of gamekeeper Racster Dingwall (here)
This morning, the Moorland Association’s legal challenge against Defra’s new burning regulations (which restrict burning on deep peat) has been thrown out by the High Court in London.
Inner courtyard at Royal Courts of Justice, London (photo by Ruth Tingay)
This will be a quick blog – much more detail to come later, including full copies of the documents presented in court.
The Moorland Association had applied to the court for permission to take a judicial review to challenge the Heather & Grass etc Burning (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, which further restrict the 2021 Regulations for burning over specific areas of peatland, specifically limiting the depth of peat where fires can be lit.
These regulations were a significant blow to grouse moor owners (whose members are represented by the Moorland Association) because rotational burning (on peatland moors) is a fundamental aspect of managing a grouse moor to facilitate the maximum number of Red Grouse available to be shot, so it was no surprise to see the Moorland Association attempt to challenge the process used to introduce the new regulations.
I went to the High Court with some colleagues yesterday to listen to the arguments in the permission hearing. It was interesting to note that the case had been listed as a ‘renewal’ hearing. My understanding is that this generally means that a judge has previously made a decision, just on the paperwork and without an in-person hearing, and that permission had been refused. A ‘renewal’ hearing is an appeal of that decision.
But that doesn’t seem to be how the Moorland Association has presented this case to the public. In a Moorland Association blog posted on 19 December 2025, the Moorland Association announces the date of the permission hearing as 27 January 2026 and writes, “This is an important procedural step in the judicial review process and marks the first occasion on which the Court will consider the case“. Hmm. [Ed – see *update on clarification at foot of blog]
Yesterday afternoon, the Moorland Association’s barrister presented three main grounds of challenge to the court, along with a number of sub-set grounds. The grounds were based on Arguability (challenging Defra’s consultation process for the 2025 Regulations which opened in March 2025 and closed on 25 May 2025); Procedural Fairness (challenging Defra’s alleged failure to address consultation responses, amongst other things); and Rationality (challenging the increase to the scope of the 2021 Burning Regulations).
The judge, Mrs Justice Lieven, was humourously scathing throughout, saying of the Moorland Association’s challenges, “It [the argument] just seems to lose all sense of reality“, and “You are really, really going to struggle with this one“.
The Moorland Association had also asked for an expedited hearing (if they were granted permission to proceed), to allow its members to get out and set fire to grouse moors before the end of this year’s burning season in England (31 March 2026), but Justice Lieven told them that this case “does not have that much urgency” when compared to other environmental challenges, such as large infrastructure projects or cases on nuclear power, that are all vying for court time.
The barrister for the defendant (Defra Secretary of State) then stood up and demolished each of the Moorland Association’s grounds, emphasising that the 2025 Burning Regulations did not constitute a ‘ban’ on burning, contrary to the claims made by the Moorland Association, but that they permit burning where necessary, for specific and exceptional circumstances, hence the licensing scheme.
She also pointed out that the 2025 Regulations were part of a staged process, representing the latest step towards fulfilling the UK’s longstanding commitment to peatland restoration and the phasing out of rotational burning. She argued that the Regulations were needed because a voluntary approach had failed and that the claimants couldn’t possibly argue that they didn’t know what was coming, and besides, licences to burn had been applied for and in some cases, granted.
Mrs Justice Lieven reserved judgement until 10am this morning, when she delivered her reasons for refusing each and every ground, resulting in a refusal to grant permission for the Moorland Association to continue to a substantive judicial review. She also awarded costs of £29k, to be paid by the Moorland Association to cover the time spent by Defra to defend the ‘hopeless’ challenge.
This might not be the end of it – the Moorland Association could apply to the Court of Appeal, although based on the findings of this case I’m not sure on what basis they would appeal, but then I’m not a lawyer.
I mentioned in yesterday’s blog that three estates (members of the Moorland Association) were co-challengers in this case but that their identities weren’t known because the Moorland Association had only published redacted documents.
They were named in the court documents yesterday as follows:
Photo by Ruth Tingay
Adrian Thornton-Berry is a well known agent from the Yorkshire Dales who operates on sporting estates across the north of England. He’s a former Moorland Association director and his name appeared on this blog in 2016 where a question was asked if Mr Thornton-Berry was the agent at East Arkengarthdale Estate when a hidden poisons cache was uncovered by the RSPB in 2014.
Neamour Holdings Ltd and MG Group Estates Ltd are less well known to me, but searches on Companies House have revealed some interesting connections. I don’t have time to blog further on this today but will return to it in due course.
Meanwhile, a reminder to blog readers that the RSPB is asking the public to report evidence of burning on peatlands across the UK using its specialised reporting app or via the RSPB website – see here for more details.
*UPDATE 30 January 2026: I’ve been advised by a credible source that a ‘paper based’ decision on this case was not made; instead another judge looked at the papers and decided it ought to go straight to an oral hearing for permission in front of another judge. Thanks to the blog reader who provided this clarification.
UPDATE 8 February 2026: Moorland Association lodges appeal against recent High Court decision to refuse judicial review of Defra’s peatland regulations (here)
The Moorland Association (grouse moor owners’ lobby group in England), along with three member estates, are due at the High Court in London this afternoon as they seek permission to challenge Defra’s new regulations on peatland burning (Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2025), which came in to force on 30 September 2025.
The new regulations have severely restricted the amount of burning permitted on grouse moors. Photo: Ruth Tingay
The Moorland Association, along with three member estates (so far the estate names have been redacted from public documents) are seeking permission to challenge the regulations through judicial review.
Today’s hearing is early on in the JR process, where Mrs Justice Lieven will hear outline arguments from the claimants (Moorland Assoc) and the defendant (Defra Secretary of State) before deciding whether the Moorland Association’s arguments are, or are not, of sufficient quality to merit a full, substantial judicial review at a later date.
I don’t (yet) have access to the court documents but here is a redacted copy of the Moorland Association’s Pre-Action Protocol letter (PAP) letter it sent to Defra in October 2025, which was the very start of the legal challenge. The PAP letter lays out the Moorland Association’s grounds – I haven’t yet seen Defra’s response to those grounds.
As one of my colleagues pointed out this morning, the words ‘grouse’ and ‘shooting’ don’t feature anywhere in this letter.
As I’ve written before, it seems to me that the grouse shooting industry rarely, if ever, mentions that its interest in heather burning on peatland has nothing whatsoever to do with wildfire management but everything to do with providing a mosaic of vegetation (heather) structure suitable to facilitate an artificially-high number of Red Grouse that can then be shot for ‘sport’. That looks like textbook gaslighting.
More later after today’s hearing…
UPDATE 28 January 2026: High Court throws out Moorland Association’s legal challenge against new burning regulations (here)
Seven sacks of dead Pheasants have been dumped by the side of the road at two locations (3km apart) near Stonehouse, South Lanarkshire earlier this month (many thanks to the blog reader who sent in photos and location details).
At the first location (on the Draffan Road, grid ref NS788448), two sacks were found. One was a black bin liner and the other, rather tellingly, was an orange-coloured ‘working dog’ feed sack.
Five black bin liners full of dead Pheasants were found at the second location just a few days later (Candermill Road, grid ref NS771472).
Regular blog readers will know that the dumping of shot gamebirds is a common and widespread illegal practice that has been going on for years, despite the repeated denials by the shooting industry. The disposal of animal by-products (including shot gamebirds) is supposedly regulated and the dumping of these carcasses is an offence.
Previous reports include dumped birds found in Cheshire (here), Scottish borders (here), Norfolk (here), Perthshire (here), Berkshire (here), North York Moors National Park (here) and some more in North York Moors National Park (here) and even more in North Yorkshire (here), Co. Derry (here), West Yorkshire (here), and again in West Yorkshire (here), N Wales (here), mid-Wales (here), Leicestershire (here), Lincolnshire (here), Somerset (here), Derbyshire’s Peak District National Park (here), Suffolk (here), Leicestershire again (here), Somerset again (here), Liverpool (here), even more in North Wales (here) even more in Wales, again (here), in Wiltshire (here) in Angus (here), in Somerset again (here), once again in North Yorkshire (here), yet again in West Yorkshire (here), yet again in mid-Wales (here), even more in mid-Wales (here), more in Derbyshire (here), Gloucestershire (here) more in Cheshire (here), some in Cumbria (here), some more in the Scottish Borders (here) and again in Lincolnshire (here), in Nottinghamshire (here), even more in Lincolnshire (here), even more in the Scottish Borders (here), in Dorset (here) and in Cambridgeshire (here).
Unless someone was seen dumping these shot gamebirds there’s no way of knowing who did it or from which gamebird shoot they originated, and therefore there’ll be no consequences for the person responsible. There’s no requirement for shoot managers to fit identifying markers to their livestock, which would make them traceable, because gamebird ‘livestock’ absurdly changes legal status to ‘wildlife’ as soon as the birds are released from the rearing pens for shooting (see Wild Justice’s blog on Schrodinger’s Pheasant for details).
Due to the ongoing concern about Avian Influenza, there’s currently an Avian Influenza Protection Zone (AIPZ) covering the whole of Scotland, with mandatory biosecurity measures in place for everyone, including those who run gamebird shoots. I’m pretty sure that dumping sackfuls of dead (presumably shot) Pheasants will be a breach of those conditions.
A pre-trial case management hearing due to take place at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on 29 January 2026 has been delayed.
Brian Chorlton, 87, of Morkery Lane, Castle Bytham, Lincolnshire, was summoned to court in April 2025 following reports that birds of prey were being poisoned in the Castle Bytham area.
Photo by Ruth Tingay
In May 2025, Chorlton appeared at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court and pleaded not guilty to 11 charges relating to the unapproved or unlawful storage of the chemical Aldicarb, possession of a poisoner’s kit, and possession and use of four pole traps. The trial was set to take place in October 2025.
However, on 18 September 2025 a pre-trial case management hearing took place at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court where the defence submitted three separate legal arguments calling for the case to be dismissed.
The District Judge rejected all three legal arguments and the application to dismiss the case was rejected.
The District Judge said he intended for the trial to proceed in October but offered a further case management hearing, due to take place one week later, to allow the defence time to consider the ruling.
That second case management trial took place on 25 September 2025 and the defence announced its intention to apply to the High Court for Judicial Review of the judge’s earlier ruling.
This meant the October 2025 trial date was vacated and the judge ordered a further case management hearing for 29 January 2026 where the defence was expected to provide an update on its application for judicial review.
That case management hearing has now also been vacated as the defence is still waiting for a decision from the High Court on whether its application for judicial review can progress to a full hearing.
This could take some time.
NB: As criminal proceedings are still live, comments have been switched off.
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 revised to reflect updates in various reports since I last updated the list in July 2025. There isn’t a one-stop shop (apart from this list) where you can find information about ‘missing’ or illegally killed Hen Harriers – the information for this list is sourced and cross-referenced from various places, including Natural England’s database, the RSPB’s database, the HSE’s database, police reports, RSPB Birdcrime reports and FoIs to various agencies. This list doesn’t include any Hen Harriers that have been listed as having a natural cause of death (e.g. known/suspected predation), or listed as ‘likely tag failure’, or known to have been lost abroad, or where the cause of death is inconclusive, unless there is additional information (e.g. from satellite tag data) which indicates suspicious or illegal activity. It is painstaking work that takes a lot of time to complete, but I consider it to be as accurate and comprehensive as it can be at the time of writing.
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 147 Hen Harriers gone since 2018, and 28 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. **There are a number of suspected Hen Harrier persecution incidents from 2025 not yet in the public domain & currently subject to ongoing police investigation. These are not included here.
‘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 were, however, ongoing issues with the licence as it was significantly watered-down after an intervention from the grouse shooting industry (see here). Efforts to close this loophole are included in the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill, currently making its way through the Scottish Parliament (here).
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).
2018
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). Tagged by RSPB.
5 February 2018: Hen Harrier Marc ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Durham (here). Tagged by RSPB.
9 February 2018: Hen Harrier Aalin ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Wales (here). Tagged by RSPB.
March 2018: Hen Harrier Blue ‘disappeared’ in the Lake District National Park (here). Tagged by RSPB.
March 2018: Hen Harrier Finn ‘disappeared’ near Moffat in Scotland (here). Tagged by RSPB.
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). Tagged by RSPB.
8 August 2018: Hen Harrier Hilma ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Northumberland (here). Tagged by RSPB.
16 August 2018: Hen Harrier Athena ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Scotland (here). Tagged by RSPB.
26 August 2018: Hen Harrier Octavia ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Peak District National Park (here). Tagged by RSPB.
29 August 2018: Hen Harrier Margot ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Scotland (here). Tagged by RSPB.
29 August 2018: Hen Harrier Heulwen ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Wales (here). Tagged by RSPB.
3 September 2018: Hen Harrier Stelmaria ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Scotland (here). Tagged by RSPB.
24 September 2018: Hen Harrier Heather ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Scotland (here). Tagged by RSPB.
2 October 2018: Hen Harrier Mabel (Tag ID 34342) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here). Grid ref NY851059. Tagged by NE.
3 October 2018: Hen Harrier Thor ‘disappeared’ next to a grouse moor in Bowland, Lanacashire (here). Tagged by RSPB.
23 October 2018: Hen Harrier Tom (Tag ID 161144) ‘disappeared’ in South Wales (here). Grid ref SS906698. Tagged by NE.
26 October 2018: Hen Harrier Arthur ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the North York Moors National Park (here). Tagged by RSPB.
1 November 2018: Hen Harrier Barney (Tag ID 34343) ‘disappeared’ on Bodmin Moor, Cornwall (here). Grid ref SX140720. Tagged by NE.
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). Tagged by RSPB.
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). Tagged by RSPB.
2019
16 January 2019: Hen Harrier Vulcan ‘disappeared’ in Wiltshire close to Natural England’s proposed reintroduction site (here). Tagged by RSPB.
28 January 2019: Hen Harrier DeeCee ‘disappeared’ in Glen Esk, a grouse moor area of the Angus Glens (see here). Tagged by RSPB.
7 February 2019: Hen Harrier Skylar ‘disappeared’ next to a grouse moor in South Lanarkshire (here). Tagged by RSPB.
22 April 2019: Hen Harrier Marci ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Cairngorms National Park (here). Tagged by RSPB.
26 April 2019: Hen Harrier Rain ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Nairnshire (here). Tagged by RSPB.
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). Tagged by Wildlands.
11 September 2019: Hen Harrier Romario ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Cairngorms National Park (here). Tagged by RSPB.
14 September 2019: Hen Harrier R1-M2-19 (Brood meddled in 2019, Tag ID 183704) ‘disappeared’ in the North Pennines (here). Grid ref SD920943. Tagged by NE.
23 September 2019: Hen Harrier R1-M4-19 (Brood meddled in 2019, Tag ID 55149) ‘disappeared’ in North Pennines (here). Grid ref NY952103. Tagged by NE.
24 September 2019: Wildland Hen Harrier 2 ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor at Invercauld in the Cairngorms National Park (here). Tagged by Wildlands.
24 September 2019: Hen Harrier Bronwyn ‘disappeared’ near a grouse moor in North Wales (here). Tagged by RSPB.
10 October 2019: Hen Harrier Ada ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the North Pennines AONB (here). Tagged by RSPB.
12 October 2019: Hen Harrier Thistle ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Sutherland (here). Tagged by RSPB.
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). Tagged by RSPB.
November 2019: Hen Harrier Artemis ‘disappeared’ near Long Formacus in south Scotland (here). Tagged by RSPB.
14 December 2019: Hen harrier Oscar ‘disappeared’ in Eskdalemuir, south Scotland (here). Tagged by RSPB.
December 2019: Hen Harrier Ingmar ‘disappeared’ in the Strathbraan grouse moor area of Perthshire (here). Tagged by RSPB.
Unknown date in 2019: Hen Harrier Erin tagged on Isle of Man ‘disappeared’ (Stop No Malfunction) – location unknown (see here). Tagged by RSPB.
2020
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).
5 April 2020: Hen Harrier Hoolie ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Cairngorms National Park (here). Tagged by RSPB.
8 April 2020: Hen Harrier Marlin ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Cairngorms National Park (here). Tagged by RSPB.
19 May 2020: Hen Harrier Fingal ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Lowther Hills, Scotland (here). Tagged by RSPB.
21 May 2020: Hen Harrier R1-M1-19 (Brood meddled in 2019, Tag ID 183701) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Cumbria shortly after returning from wintering in France (here). Grid ref SD770877. Tagged by NE.
27 May 2020: Hen Harrier Silver ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor on Leadhills Estate, Scotland (here). Tagged by RSPB.
2020: day/month unknown: Unnamed male Hen Harrier breeding on RSPB Geltsdale Reserve, Cumbria ‘disappeared’ while away hunting (here).
14 August 2020: Hen Harrier Solo (Tag ID 201119) ‘disappeared’ in confidential nest area in Lancashire (here). Tagged by NE.
7 September 2020: Hen Harrier Dryad ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here). Tagged by RSPB.
16 September 2020: Hen Harrier Fortune (Tag ID 162150a) ‘disappeared’ from a confidential roost site in Northumberland (here). Tagged by NE.
19 September 2020: Hen Harrier Harold (Tag ID 57272) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here). Grid ref NY830036. Tagged by NE.
20 September 2020: Hen Harrier R1-M4-20 (Brood meddled in 2020, Tag ID 55152) ‘disappeared’ next to a grouse moor in North Yorkshire (here). Grid ref SE103956. Tagged by NE.
19 December 2020: Hen Harrier Lagertha (Tag ID 201126a) ‘disappeared’ in Christchurch, Dorset close to winter roost. Not to be confused with RSPB-tagged bird also called Lagertha (2023). Grid ref SZ161924. Tagged by NE.
2021
24 February 2021: Hen Harrier Tarras ‘disappeared’ next to a grouse moor in Northumberland (here). Tagged by RSPB.
12th April 2021: Hen Harrier Yarrow ‘disappeared’ near Stockton, County Durham (here). Tagged by RSPB.
18 May 2021: Untagged breeding male Hen Harrier (Geltsdale 1) ‘disappeared’ from its breeding attempt on RSPB Geltsdale Reserve, Cumbria whilst away hunting (here).
18 May 2021: Another untagged breeding male Hen Harrier (Geltsdale 2) ‘disappeared’ from its breeding attempt on RSPB Geltsdale Reserve, Cumbria whilst away hunting (here).
24 July 2021: Hen Harrier Asta (Tag ID 201117) ‘disappeared’ in the North Pennines after establishing a home range around Gilmonby Moor (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). Grid ref SE206937. Tagged by NE.
14th August 2021: Hen Harrier Josephine (Tag ID 213850) ‘disappeared’ at a ‘confidential site’ in Northumberland (here). Grid ref NY592841. Tagged by NE.
17 September 2021: Hen Harrier Reiver ‘disappeared’ in a grouse moor dominated region of Northumberland (here). Tagged by RSPB.
24 September 2021: Hen Harrier R2-F1-21 (Brood meddled in 2021, Tag ID 213918) ‘disappeared’ in Northumberland (here). Grid ref NZ022667. Tagged by NE.
15 November 2021: Hen Harrier R2-F1-20 (Brood meddled in 2020, Tag ID 203003) ‘disappeared’ at the edge of a grouse moor on Arkengarthdale Estate in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here). Grid ref NY959039. Tagged by NE.
12 December 2021: Hen Harrier Jasmine (Tag ID 213848) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor (High Rigg Moor on the Middlesmoor Estate) in the Nidderdale AONB in North Yorkshire (here). Grid ref SE034733. Tagged by NE.
Unknown date in 2021: Hen Harrier Maiden, tagged in Lancashire in 2021, ‘disappeared’ at unknown location (here). Tagged by RSPB.
2022
9 January 2022: Hen Harrier Ethel (Tag ID 213852) ‘disappeared’ in Northumberland (here). Grid ref NY936632. Tagged by NE.
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). Tagged by RSPB.
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 (ringed) leg had also been torn off whilst he was still alive (here). Tagged by NE.
April 2022: Hen Harrier Pegasus ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor at Birkdale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here). Tagged by RSPB.
May 2022: An untagged breeding male Hen Harrier (Peak District 1) ‘disappeared’ from a National Trust-owned grouse moor in the Peak District National Park (here).
May 2022: Another untagged breeding male Hen Harrier (Peak District 2) ‘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’ in the North Pennines (here). Grid ref NY918019. Tagged by NE.
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 R1-M1-22 (Brood meddled in 2022, Tag ID 232637) ‘disappeared’ on moorland in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here). Grid ref SD804893. Tagged by NE.
September 2022: Hen Harrier Sullis ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Cumbria (here). Tagged by RSPB.
5 October 2022: Hen Harrier R3-M2-22 (Brood meddled in 2022, Tag ID 213920a) ‘disappeared’ on moorland in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here). Grid ref NY791016. Tagged by NE.
10 October 2022: Hen Harrier Sia ‘disappeared’ near Hamsterley Forest in the North Pennines (here). Tagged by RSPB.
October 2022: Hen Harrier R1-F1-21 (Brood meddled in 2021, Tag ID 213919) ‘disappeared’ in the North Sea off the North York Moors National Park (here). Tagged by NE.
1 December 2022: Hen Harrier R1-M1-21 (Brood meddled in 2021, Tag ID 55145a) ‘disappeared’ on moorland in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here). Grid ref SD917620. Tagged by NE.
7 December 2022: Hen Harrier R2-F2-20 (Brood meddled in 2020, Tag ID 55144) ‘disappeared’ from winter roost (same as R3-F1-22) on moorland in North Pennines AONB. Later found dead on 26 June 2023 with 3 shotgun pellets in corpse (here). Grid ref NY730372. Tagged by NE.
14 December 2022: Hen Harrier R3-F1-22 (Brood meddled in 2022, Tag ID 213921a) ‘disappeared’ from winter roost (same as R2-F2-20) on moorland in the North Pennines AONB (here). Later found dead on 10 April 2023 with two shotgun pellets in corpse (here). Grid ref NY708423. Tagged by NE.
15 December 2022: Hen Harrier R2-F1-22 (Brood meddled in 2022, Tag ID 213931) ‘disappeared’ on moorland in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here). Grid ref SD847831. Tagged by NE.
Unknown date in 2022: Hen Harrier Heath, tagged in Lancashire in 2019, ‘disappeared’ at unknown location (here). Tagged by RSPB.
Unknown date in 2022: Hen Harrier Syrcas, tagged in Conwy in 2021, ‘disappeared’ at unknown location (here). Tagged by RSPB.
2023
30 March 2023: Hen Harrier R1-F3-22 (Brood meddled in 2022, Tag ID NY823039) ‘disappeared’ in Yorkshire (here). Grid ref NY823039. Tagged by NE.
March 2023: Hen Harrier (tagged), last transmission/sighting in Lancashire. No tag number provided. Reported in RSPB Birdcrime 2023, Appendix 4 (here).
1 April 2023: Hen Harrier R2-M1-22 (Brood meddled in 2022, Tag ID NY846027) ‘disappeared’ in Yorkshire (here). Grid ref NY846027. Tagged by NE.
April 2023: Hen Harrier Lagertha ‘disappeared’ in North Yorkshire (here). Tagged by RSPB. Not to be confused with Lagertha tagged by NE & disappeared in 2020).
April 2023: Hen Harrier Nicola (Tag ID 234078) ‘disappeared’ in North Yorkshire (here). Grid ref SD831860. Tagged by NE.
April 2023: Untagged male Hen Harrier (Geltsdale 3) ‘disappeared’ from an active nest on RSPB Geltsdale Reserve in Cumbria (here).
April 2023: Another untagged male Hen Harrier (Geltsdale 4) ‘disappeared’ from an active nest on RSPB Geltsdale Reserve in Cumbria (here).
April 2023: Untagged male Hen Harrier ‘disappeared’ from an active nest in Co Durham (here).
4/5 May 2023: Hen Harrier Rush ‘disappeared’ from a grouse moor in Bowland AONB in Lancashire (here). Tagged by RSPB.
9/10 May 2023: Hen Harrier Dagda tagged in Lancashire in June 2022 and who was breeding on the RSPB’s Geltsdale Reserve in 2023 until he ‘disappeared’, only to be found dead on the neighbouring Knarsdale grouse moor in May 2023 – a post mortem revealed he had been shot (here). Tagged by RSPB.
17 May 2023: Hen Harrier Wayland ‘disappeared’ in the Clapham area of North Yorkshire, just north of the Bowland AONB (here). Tagged by RSPB.
31 May 2023: Hen Harrier R2-M3-22 (Brood meddled in 2022, Tag ID 213932) ‘disappeared’ in Northumberland (here). Grid ref NY765687. Tagged by NE.
11 June 2023: Hen Harrier R2-M1-21 (Brood meddled in 2021, Tag ID 213922) ‘disappeared’ in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here). Grid ref NY757000. Tagged by NE.
12 June 2023: Hen Harrier R1-M2-20 (Brood meddled in 2020, Tag ID 203004) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Co. Durham (here). Grid ref NY976322. Tagged by NE.
6 July 2023: Hen Harrier Rubi (Tag ID 201124a) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Co. Durham (here). Grid ref NY911151. Tagged by NE.
23 July 2023: Hen Harrier R1-F1-23 (Brood meddled in 2023, Tag ID 55154a) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in Co. Durham (close to where Rubi disappeared) (here). Grid ref NY910126. Tagged by NE.
9 August 2023: Hen Harrier Martha ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor (Westburnhope Moor) near Hexham in the North Pennines (here). Tagged by RSPB.
11 August 2023: Hen Harrier Selena ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor (Mossdale Moor) in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here). Tagged by RSPB.
11 August 2023: Hen Harrier R3-F1-23 (Brood meddled in 2023, Tag ID 201118a) ‘disappeared’ in Co. Durham (here). Grid ref NZ072136. Tagged by NE.
15 August 2023: Hen Harrier Hepit ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor (Birkdale Common) near Kirkby Stephen in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here). Tagged by RSPB.
24 August 2023: Hen Harrier R1-F2-23 (Brood meddled in 2023, Tag ID 55155a) ‘disappeared’ in Northumberland (here). Grid ref NY679863. Tagged by NE.
August-Sept 2023: Hen Harrier Harmonia ‘disappeared’ in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here). ‘Stop No Malfunction’. Tagged by RSPB.
September 2023: Hen Harrier Saranyu, tagged in Cumbria in June 2023, ‘disappeared’ in Durham in September 2023 (here). Tagged by RSPB.
September 2023: Hen Harrier Inger, tagged in Perthshire in July 2022, ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Angus Glens in September 2023 (here). Tagged by RSPB.
15 September 2023: Hen Harrier Rhys (Tag ID 213847a), tagged in Cumbria on 1st August 2023, ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here). Grid ref SD798896. Tagged by NE.
24 September 2023: Hen Harrier R2-F2-23 (Brood meddled in 2023, Tag ID 213929) ‘disappeared’ in the North Pennines (here). Grid ref NY888062. Tagged by NE.
26 September 2023: Hen Harrier Hope, tagged in Cumbria on 21 July 2023, ‘disappeared’ next to a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here). Grid ref SD801926. Tagged by NE.
4 October 2023: Hen Harrier R1-M3-20 (Brood meddled in 2020, Tag ID 55153) ‘disappeared’ in Co Durham (here). Grid ref NY935192. Tagged by NE.
4 October 2023: Hen Harrier R4-F1-23 (Brood meddled in 2023, Tag ID 213925a) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here). Grid ref SE003981. Tagged by NE.
15 November 2023: Hen Harrier Hazel’ (Tag ID 240292) tagged in Cumbria on 21 July 2023, ‘disappeared’ on the Isle of Man (here). Grid ref SC251803. Tagged by NE.
7 December 2023: Hen Harrier R2-M1-20 (Brood meddled in 2020, Tag ID 55146a) ‘disappeared’ in Co Durham. Grid ref NY963211. Tagged by NE.
Unknown date in 2023: Hen Harrier Aurora, tagged in Dumfries & Galloway in 2022, ‘disappeared’ at unknown location (here). Tagged by RSPB.
2024
12 February 2024: Hen Harrier Susie (Tag ID 201122), found dead in Northumberland. Later revealed to have been the victim of shooting (here). Grid ref NY759585. Tagged by NE. Susie’s chicks were stamped to death at nest on moor at Whernside in 2022 (here).
15 February 2024: Hen Harrier 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). Tagged by RSPB.
24 April 2024: Hen Harrier Ken (Tag ID 213849a) ‘disappeared’ in suspicious circumstances close to a grouse moor in Bowland (here). Grid ref SD684601. Tagged by NE.
17 May 2024: Hen Harrier R2-M2-23 (Brood meddled in 2023, Tag ID 213928) ‘disappeared’ in suspicious circumstances next to Middlesmoor grouse moor in Nidderdale (here). Grid ref SE043754. Tagged by NE.
7 June 2024: Hen Harrier Edna (Tag ID 161143a). Decomposed corpse found next to a wind farm nr Otterburn, Northumberland. Listed as ‘suspected illegally killed’. There has been a suggestion she was killed elsewhere & dumped at the wind farm as a ploy to cover up the crime (here). Grid ref NY910827. Tagged by NE.
25 June 2024: Hen Harrier R2-F1-23 (Brood meddled in 2023, Tag ID 213923) ‘disappeared’ in suspicious circumstances on a grouse moor in Yorkshire Dales National Park (here). Grid ref NY985082. Tagged by NE.
July 2024: Hen Harrier Helius, tagged in Lancashire in 2023, ‘disappeared’ in suspicious circumstances in Bowland (here). Tagged by RSPB.
29 July 2024: Hen Harrier (Tag ID 254843) tagged in Northumberland on 5 July 2024, decomposed corpse not suitable for post mortem but forensics work on her satellite tag showed shot damage (here). Grid ref NY824937. Tagged by NE.
October 2024: An un-tagged Hen Harrier was apparently shot on a grouse moor at Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales National Park by one of three gamekeepers being secretly filmed by the RSPB (here).
1 October 2024: Hen Harrier Dreich (Tag ID 254842) ‘disappeared’ in Lanarkshire (here). Grid ref NS826020. Tagged by NE.
15 October 2024: Hen Harrier Baldur (Tag ID 240291) ‘disappeared’ in Northumberland (here). Grid ref NZ038961. Tagged by NE.
19 October 2024: Hen Harrier Margaret (Tag ID 254844) ‘disappeared’ in Northumberland (here). It was later reported that her tag had been found (‘removed’) but no sign of the carcass (here). Grid ref NY878497. Tagged by NE.
2025
15 January 2025: Hen Harrier 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). Tagged by RSPB.
January 2025: Hen Harrier Ataksak was found poisoned close to a grouse moor in North Yorkshire (here). Apparently a police investigation is ongoing. Tagged by RSPB.
3 February 2025: Hen Harrier R3-F2-22 (Brood meddled in 2022, Tag ID 213924) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the North York Moors National Park (here). Grid ref SE759996. Tagged by NE.
27 February 2025: Hen Harrier Sita, tagged on behalf of Hen Harrier Action in Bowland in 2024 ‘disappeared’ from a roost site on a grouse moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (here). Tagged by RSPB.
4 April 2025: Hen Harrier Bonnie (Tag ID 254841) ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor in the Moorfoots, Scotland (here). Grid ref NT415575. Tagged by NE.
10 April 2025: Hen Harrier Gill (Tag ID 240294) ‘disappeared’ in south Scotland (here). Grid ref NT440344. Tagged by NE.
1 May 2025: Hen Harrier Pete (Tag ID 213843) ‘disappeared’ in Cumbria (see here). Grid ref NY309418. Tagged by NE.
May 2025: Untagged Hen Harrier male (Geltsdale 5) with an 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 untagged Hen Harrier male (Geltsdale 6) 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: Hen Harrier Dynamo 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). Tagged by RSPB.
May 2025: Untagged Hen Harrier 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).
9 September 2025: Hen Harrier Maria (Tag ID 281718) tagged in Northumberland on 25 July 2025, ‘disappeared’ near Belford in Northumberland. Grid ref NU125340. Tagged by NE.
17 September 2025: Hen Harrier Beatrix, who fledged from the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve in summer 2025, ‘disappeared’ from an area dominated by grouse moors near Allendale in the North Pennines (here). Tagged by RSPB.
27 September 2025: Hen Harrier Wadrew, who fledged from the RSPB Geltsdale Reserve in Cumbria in summer 2025, ‘disappeared’ on a grouse moor near Birkdale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (see here). Tagged by the RSPB.
30 September 2025: Hen Harrier Morrigan ‘disappeared’ in the southern area of the North Pennines National Landscape (here). Tagged by RSPB.
14 October 2025: Hen Harrier Circe, hatched on the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve in 2025 and tagged on behalf of charity Hen Harrier Action, ‘disappeared’ in the Moorfoots, south Scotland (here). Tagged by RSPB.
I’m aware of other tagged birds that went missing in 2025 and are not yet listed here as the incidents haven’t been made public as they’re the subject of active police investigations.
To be continued…
Of these 147 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 January 2026, 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 SEVEN 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 in North Yorkshire) 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 32 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).
Detective Inspector Mark Harrison of the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) who leads on the national Hen Harrier Taskforce will be giving a live online presentation on 27 January 2026 about the work being undertaken to tackle the ongoing illegal killing of Hen Harriers in the UK. More details here.
For new blog readers, an RSPB report Hen Harriers in the Firing Line, published last year provides a good overview of the illegal persecution of Hen Harriers on UK grouse moors, as does this news reel from Channel 4 News:
The RSPB has today issued a press release documenting the suspicious disappearance of six of its satellite-tagged Hen Harriers in 2025, as well as one that had been illegally poisoned. All seven incidents were either on, or close to, grouse moors in England.
These seven birds are in addition to the Hen Harriers that had been satellite-tagged by Natural England and had ‘disappeared’ or were illegally killed in 2025. I’ll publish the updated combined tally list later today.
SIX MORE RARE HEN HARRIERS VANISH ON OR NEAR GROUSE MOORS WITH ANOTHER CONFIRMED POISONED
Seven RSPB satellite tagged Hen Harriers are suspected or confirmed to have been illegally killed in England on or near land managed for grouse shooting in 2025 – with three in just thirteen days.
Hen Harriers are a protected, Red-listed species of high conservation concern with illegal killing widely recognised as the main cause for their vulnerable status.
To prevent and deter these crimes and ensure the recovery of Hen Harriers in England the RSPB is urgently calling for the introduction of licensing of all gamebird shooting across the UK.
In 2025, it is suspected that a total of seven RSPB satellite-tagged Hen Harriers were illegally killed on or near grouse moors in northern England, with one Hen Harrier confirmed poisoned and six more disappearing in suspicious circumstances – all sending their final transmission on or near land managed for grouse shooting.
All incidents were quickly reported to the police and National Wildlife Crime Unit’s Hen Harrier Taskforce. Obtaining evidence of Hen Harrier killing and bringing prosecutions is extremely difficult but Police investigations continue.
To monitor Hen Harrier movements and survival, RSPB and Natural England have been tagging Hen Harrier chicks for over 15 years. These highly reliable satellite tags normally continue to transmit even when a bird dies. However, as multiple incidents have shown, many tags have suddenly and suspiciously stopped transmitting on or near grouse moors without sign of malfunction.
Evidence – including peer reviewed data, intelligence reports and forensic analysis – indicate that it is highly likely that in these circumstances the Hen Harrier’s tag has been intentionally damaged or destroyed after the bird has been illegally killed. Despite strong indication that a crime has been committed, in the absence of substantive evidence the perpetrator cannot be brought to justice.
In England, in the last 10 years (2016-2025), 72 satellite tagged Hen Harriers – monitored by the RSPB and Natural England – have suddenly and suspiciously disappeared. With 85% of these vanishing on or near land managed for grouse shooting. These incidents indicate a much wider scale of killing as only a fraction of the total Hen Harrier population is fitted with tags.
All six of the satellite tagged Hen Harriers that suddenly disappeared in 2025 sent their final transmission from hotspots – these being areas with previous bird of prey incidents in northern England, all dominated by grouse moors. Intelligence suggests that these crimes are committed in an attempt to maximise the number of grouse available to be commercially shot for profit during the grouse shooting season.
Tragically, three of the six sat-tagged Hen Harriers which disappeared in 2025 all sent their final transmissions in September – just weeks after fledging the nests and within thirteen days of each other. Recent scientific research has shown that human persecution – the main cause for Hen Harriers vulnerable status – has reduced the lifespan of this rare species, with young birds surviving on average for only four months after leaving the nest.
In addition to the six, one Hen Harrier named Ataksak, was confirmed poisoned after its body was recovered close to a grouse moor in North Yorkshire in early January 2025. Toxicological testing revealed that it had died after being exposed to a lethal pesticide mixture, known as the ‘Nidderdale Cocktail’. Since 2011 this poison has been connected to the deaths of 15 birds of prey and one dog, all in North Yorkshire.
Mark Thomas, RSPB UK Head of Investigations said:“Although the suspected persecution of six of our satellite tagged Hen Harriers in one year is extremely concerning, these birds are sadly just the latest in a long trend. Since 2010 over one hundred satellite tagged Hen Harriers are suspected to have been illegally killed in the UK, with the majority disappearing on or near land managed for grouse shooting. As satellite tagged Hen Harriers represent a small proportion of the UK’s total Hen Harrier population the true number of Hen Harriers that are being illegally killed across the uplands of the UK is likely to be significantly greater. What we’re seeing is just the tip of the iceberg“.
The RSPB has been continuously calling for the introduction of a robust licensing system for all gamebird shooting in the UK. Introduced in Scotland for grouse shooting in 2024, this proportionate, low-cost measure would only penalise those shooting estates where crimes are being committed and help ensure that this rare and vulnerable species receives the protection it so urgently needs.
James Robinson, RSPB Chief Operating Officer said: “These latest incidents paint a desperate picture for Hen Harrier recovery in England. To prevent this pattern of killing, and give this vulnerable species a realistic hope of recovery, we urgently need licensing of all gamebird shooting to be introduced in England.
“Under this proportionate legislation if a crime is suspected to have taken place, based on a civil burden of proof, the shooting estate can have their licence to shoot revoked – creating a meaningful deterrent against this type of wildlife crime. Scotland took this welcome step in 2024 when it introduced licensing for grouse shooting. We need to follow their lead and give Hen Harriers in England the safety they desperately need“.
Members of the public are urged to report any suspected incidents of bird of prey persecution by contacting the police on 101 and by submitting a report to the RSPB. This can be done via the RSPB’s online reporting form at www.rspb.org.uk/report-crimes or by calling the RSPB’s confidential Raptor Crime Hotline on 0300 999 0101. Reports via the RSPB’s reporting form and Raptor Crime Hotline can be made anonymously.
ENDS
The RSPB also provided the following additional detail as footnotes to the press release:
Of the 85 confirmed and suspected satellite tagged Hen Harrier persecution incidents recorded in England in the last ten years (2016-2025), 79 (93%) occurred in the area of Northern England shown in the map below.
In total, these include 35 RSPB satellite-tagged Hen Harriers and 44 Natural England satellite-tagged Hen Harriers. All were either confirmed to have been illegally killed or disappeared in suspicious circumstances.
The number in each square on the map is the total number of confirmed and suspected persecution incidents involving RSPB and Natural England satellite tagged Hen Harriers recorded in that area alone.
The RSPB also provided details of the seven tagged Hen Harriers either missing or illegally poisoned in 2025. I blogged about a number of these individuals in 2025 although the RSPB’s new commentary provides additional context. For those individual Harriers previously reported on this blog, I’ve marked them with an asterisk and provided a link to the specific blog.
*Ataksak was found poisoned close to a grouse moor in North Yorkshire – poisoned with the Nidderdale Cocktail (January 2025). The area where Ataksak’s body was found is recognised as a bird of prey persecution hotspot. In the last ten years 25 confirmed bird of prey persecution incidents have been recorded in this area, including Ataksak. These included four Hen Harriers, 13 Red Kites and five Buzzards. A satellite tagged Hen Harrier also disappeared in this area in 2024. [Previous RPUK blog on Ataksak, here].
*Sita disappeared on 27 February 2025. Her tag sent its final transmission from a moor south of Reeth, in the northeastern area of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. [Previous RPUK blog on Sita, here].
*Dynamo was a six-year-old RSPB satellite tagged Hen Harrier which suspiciously disappeared whilst provisioning a nest in the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire in May 2025. He was one of four breeding male Hen Harriers that disappeared in northern England over a period of eight days – two from RSPB Geltsdale Nature Reserve in Cumbria, and a further two from the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire. All of these birds vanished whilst foraging for food away from their nest. [Previous RPUK blog on Dynamo, here].
Wadrew was one of three chicks that successfully fledged from RSPB Geltsdale in the summer of 2025, raised with the assistance of RSPB staff and volunteers. When the male parent suddenly disappeared whilst foraging off the reserve (suspected to have been illegally killed) reserve staff and volunteers provided emergency supplementary food under licence. On 27 September 2025, just weeks after fledging, Wadrew disappeared whilst on a grouse moor near Birkdale, in the north-west of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Based on incident data, this area – dominated by grouse moors – is the epicentre for Hen Harrier persecution in the UK. Since 2016, in this area four confirmed persecution incidents involving RSPB and Natural England satellite tagged Hen Harriers have taken place and 13 satellite tagged Hen Harriers have suspiciously disappeared (including Wadrew) – all suspected to have been persecuted (2016-2025).
Morrigan suddenly disappeared on 30 September 2025 just three days after Wadrew’s final transmission and 17 km away, in the southern area of the North Pennines National Landscape – a notorious bird of prey persecution hotspot. In the same area in 2022, concerns were raised when irregular tag data was sent from a satellite tagged Hen Harrier named Asta. A search of the area led to the discovery of Asta’s satellite tag, found fitted to a dead Carrion Crow. The harness was intact. As a tag harness cannot be removed intact without inflicting significant harm to the bird it was clear that Asta had been illegally killed. In the last ten years 13 confirmed and suspected bird of prey persecution incidents have been recorded in this area including one confirmed incident (the sat-tagged Hen Harrier Asta) and the suspicious disappearance of 10 satellite tagged Hen Harriers, including Morrigan, between 2016 and 2025.
Beatrix: Just 10 days before Wadrew and Morrigan disappeared, another young RSPB satellite tagged Hen Harrier, Beatrix, also vanished. Beatrix fledged from the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve in Scotland in the summer and dispersed south into the North Pennines, settling in an area dominated by grouse moor near Allendale. Her sat-tag sent its final transmission from this location on 17 September 2025. This area is another recognised persecution hotspot for Hen Harriers with four satellite tagged Hen Harriers confirmed to have been persecuted and six satellite tagged birds (including Beatrix) suspiciously disappearing in the area (2016-2025).
*Red: In January 2025, eight months earlier, a one-year-old Scottish Hen Harrier that had also fledged from the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve, named Red, disappeared in another part of the North Pennines in County Durham. Another satellite tagged Hen Harrier, named Sia, disappeared in the same area in 2022. [Previous RPUK blog on Red, here].
The RSPB has provided a good amount of detail here, although I note that grid references have not been provided, which is disappointing.
However, the persecution hotspot map covering part of northern England is of particular interest to me. It’s striking that the RSPB has recorded ‘repeat’ incidents in certain areas, whereas Detective Inspector Mark Harrison from the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU), who leads the National Hen Harrier Taskforce, is on record (several times) saying that since the Taskforce began its work in 2024, there hasn’t been a single ‘repeat’ incident in any of the Taskforce’s persecution hotspots.
This discrepancy demands more scrutiny and I’ll blog about it soon.
In the meantime, I’ll update the rolling list of missing/dead Hen Harriers since 2018…
UPDATE 21 January 2026: 147 Hen Harriers confirmed ‘missing’ or illegally killed in UK since 2018, most of them on or close to grouse moors (here).
Further to this morning’s blog about a satellite-tagged Hen Harrier (Pete) who has ‘disappeared’ in Cumbria (see here), here’s news of another one, quietly updated in Natural England’s spreadsheet without anybody saying a word.
And there’s quite a bit that could / should be said about this particular case but for some reason the authorities (Natural England, Northumbria Police, National Hen Harrier Task Force) have chosen to keep everyone in the dark.
This one’s called ‘Edna’. She was tagged (Tag ID 161143a) in Cumbria as a nestling on 27 June 2023.
Edna featured in three Natural England spreadsheet updates after she’d fledged, listed in September 2023 as ‘Alive – Cumbria’, in December 2023 as ‘Alive – Cumbria’ and in April 2024 as ‘Alive – Yorkshire Dales’.
The next spreadsheet update was published in August 2024 and Edna’s listing was as follows:
Date of last contact:7 June 2024
Location of last contact:Northumberland
Status: Dead
OS reference: Recovered awaiting PM [post mortem]
That was all we knew about Edna’s fate for the next 14 months. Natural England published two more spreadsheet updates (December 2024 and April 2025) but in both of those updates Edna was still listed as ‘Recovered awaiting PM‘.
In January 2025 I’d blogged about the long delay in releasing Edna’s post mortem results, along with a number of others (here). They weren’t included in my running tally of ‘missing’ or illegally killed Hen Harriers because they could have died from natural causes or have been the victims of illegal persecution.
It took Natural England until October 2025, in its most recent spreadsheet update, to finally inform the public about Edna’s fate but even then, significant information has been withheld.
Edna’s entry on the October 2025 spreadsheet update looks like this:
Date of last contact:7 June 2024
Location of last contact:Northumberland
Status:Dead
OS reference: NY910827
Notes on loss:Suspected illegally killed. Carcase had been scavenged, plus severe state of autolysis and decomposition.
If you look up that grid reference that Natural England has now provided, it shows a field at the Green Rigg Wind Farm nr Ridsdale, next to the A68, just south of Otterburn in Northumberland.
Hmm.
Edna’s corpse was found next to this wind farm in Northumberland
Now, because Edna’s corpse was too badly decomposed for a pathologist to determine the cause of death, it can be reasonably assumed that her satellite tag data provided sufficient evidence for the police and Natural England to determine that she was “suspected illegally killed“.
This ties in with information I was given by a number of sources in 2024 that a satellite-tagged Hen Harrier was believed to have been found dead at a wind farm in the north of England ‘and the circumstances suggest it didn’t get there of its own accord‘.
That’s a plausible scenario. We’ve seen many examples of the lengths the raptor killers will go to hide their crimes, including moving a tagged Golden Eagle (still alive), with two broken legs (injuries consistent with being caught in an illegally-set trap), some 15km north of the crime scene in the dead of night & leaving it to die in a layby (here), moving a Golden Eagle’s satellite tag (& perhaps the corpse) and dumping it in the North Sea (here), dumping a Golden Eagle’s satellite tag in a loch (here), wrapping a Golden Eagle’s tag in lead sheeting to block the transmission signal & dumping it in a river (here), removing a Hen Harrier’s tag from the victim and attaching it to a live Crow to make it look as though the tagged Harrier is still flying around (here), cutting off a White-tailed Eagle’s tag and placing it somewhere else, perhaps on neighbouring land (here), cutting off a White-tailed Eagle’s tag and dumping it in a river (here), and using a heat pack to mislead those monitoring the tag data that a dead Hen Harrier’s body temperature was stable whilst the tag data showed that the tag (and probably the corpse) was inside a vehicle travelling away from the kill site for disposal elsewhere (evidence that this has likely happened was provided during a police presentation at a recent Wildlife Crime conference).
Back to the info I received in 2024. I didn’t know where or when this had happened, only that it was in 2024 and my subsequent efforts to find out this information from the authorities have all failed, being repeatedly told it was being withheld for ‘operational purposes’.
I assumed ‘operational purposes’ meant that there was an ongoing investigation and that eventually this information would be made public, either on the NE spreadsheet, or in a public appeal for information from the police.
But no. Natural England’s spreadsheet provides the bare minimum of information and Northumbria Police have said absolutely nothing whatsoever, not even when Edna’s corpse was found 16 months ago.
Why do you think that is? Who benefits from this information being withheld?
Wouldn’t it be interesting to know the name of the estate where Edna is suspected to have been killed, and whether other Hen Harriers have also ‘disappeared’ from the same estate?
A satellite-tagged Hen Harrier named ‘Pete’ has ‘disappeared’ in Cumbria, according to a Natural England spreadsheet.
Pete was tagged as a nestling in Cumbria in 2021 (Tag #213843). He established a home range in SW Scotland and returned there each spring after wintering in France.
His tag stopped transmitting on 1st May 2025 after returning once again from France, with the last known transmission given at grid ref NY309418.
As usual, I haven’t seen any publicity about the disappearance of this tagged Hen Harrier. His details were quietly added to the Natural England spreadsheet when last updated in October 2025. In the notes section it states, ‘ground search unsuccessful ongoing‘.
Last year, charity Friends of the Dales launched a new campaign calling for an end to the criminal killing of birds of prey in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
The Eyes on the Skies campaign, which aims to raise awareness about raptor persecution, launched in October 2025 with a free webinar featuring Kate Jennings, UK Head of Site Conservation & Species Policy at the RSPB, who talked about the work of the RSPB’s Investigations Team and reiterated the RSPB’s stance on licensing for gamebird shooting due to its links to illegal raptor persecution.
Friends of the Dales has now organised three more webinars, going out live in January, February and March this year.
Tuesday 27 January 2026, 5.30pm-7pm– Detective Inspector Mark Harrison from the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU).
Wednesday 18 February 2026, 5.30pm – 7pm – Indy Kiemel Greene & Adrian Rowe from the charity Hen Harrier Action.
Wednesday 18 March 2026, 5.30pm – 7pm – Dr Ruth Tingay from Raptor Persecution UK.
For further information about these talks and to book your place (it’s free!), please click here.
Raptor Persecution UK 