Help RSPB by looking out for birds of prey
RSPB Scotland is asking everyone to keep their eyes peeled for one of the UK’s rarest birds of prey as they return to their breeding grounds this spring.
Hen harriers are mediumsized birds of prey, similar to a buzzard but with a slightly slimmer appearance, with long wings and a long tail.
Female and young hen harriers are speckled brown and cream with horizontal stripes on their tails.
The most striking feature is the patch of white at their rump.
Males are slightly smaller and pale grey with black wingtips. Both have a round, owl-like face.
As the weather warms up, these birds are becoming more visible as they start their long journeys away from their winter roosting grounds and up to the moors to breed.
Hen harriers’nest on the ground amongst heather or soft rush in upland areas.
You maybe even lucky enough to encounter their skydancing display, a dizzying aerial show of rolls and dives, performed by either the male or female to mark their territory and demonstrate their vigor.
Hen harriers are the UK’s most persecuted bird of prey relative to its population size.
Their Scottish population is of global importance, yet it remains far from stable largely as a result of illegal killing by humans.
The RSPB’s Jenni Burrell said:“We are calling on the public to email our Hen Harrier hotline if they believe they’ve seen a hen harrier.
“This helps us build a picture of where these birds are. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you see them.
“We welcome any sightings and appreciate your time.”
If you think you’ve seen a hen harrier, email henharriers@rspb.org.uk
Include the date, time, location/grid reference and a description of the bird.