Fears for missing rare hen harrier

CONCERNS HAVE been expressed about the sudden disappearance and apparent death of a rare young hen harrier.

The bird, known as “Olivia”, had fledged from a nest in the Peak District this summer, and was being protected and electronically tracked by volunteers.

Campaigners say the critically endangered species has been suffering from illegal persecution and this was the first time they had successfully nested in the Peak District in four years. The decline in numbers is thought to be linked to moorland grouse shooting.

Dr Cathleen Thomas, Hen Harrier LIFE project manager at the RSPB, reported that Olivia was one of three young hen harriers that has disappeared under suspicious circumstances since leaving the nest. They were fitted with hi-tech satellite trackers.

Bob Berzins, who was one of the volunteers protecting the nest, said: “Yet again we are seeing a sadly familiar pattern. Olivia’s tag stopped transmitting just four days after she left the immediate area of her home nest, and the last known location was over an area of land managed for driven grouse shooting at Broomhead. It is a similar story with the other two missing harriers.

“There should be 300 breeding pairs of hen harriers in England, yet this year there were just nine, and already we are seeing loss of the young birds from those nests.”

The local Green Party has also highlighted the issue. Natalie Bennett, the former Green Party leader who lives in Sheffield, said: “I’ve joined campaigners including Chris Packham and Mark Avery for several years now in calling for a ban on driven grouse shooting.”