RSPB appeal as protected hen harrier disappears

A PROTECTED hen harrier has disappeared in an area described as a ‘black hole’ for the birds of prey.

The female, named Skylar, was being monitored by conservation charity RSPB Scotland as part of an EU-funded hen harrier protection programme.

However, her electronic tag stopped working on February 7 after roosting overnight in an area of rough grassland near Elvanfoot, Lanarkshire.

The charity is appealing for information amid fears the bird’s death is suspicious as she disappeared close to a moor used for grouse shooting.

RSPB Scotland project manager Dr Cathleen Thomas said: ‘Her tag was working as expected, then suddenly stopped. There have been no further transmissions, and the bird’s body has not been located.

‘Had she died of natural causes, we would have expected the transmitter to continue working allowing us to recover her body.’ Dr Thomas added that the disappearance

‘Body has not been located’

‘follows a depressingly familiar pattern’ with the area having a history of similar cases and illegal bird of prey killings.

Two birds, a hen harrier and a shorteared owl, were shot dead on a grouse moor in 2017 a few miles from Skylar’s last known location.

Another tagged hen harrier was also found shot nearby in April 2015 with two other tagged hen harriers vanishing in the area in 2014 and 2016.

Ian Thomson, RSPB Scotland’s head of investigations, said: ‘This area of South Lanarkshire has been notorious for some years as a black hole into which protected birds of prey simply disappear.’

Sarah-Jane Laing, Scottish Land and Estates executive director, said it was ‘disappointing’ it had taken three months for the alarm to be raised about Skylar.

She said: ‘We support the appeal for information about the hen harrier. We also question the presumption that grouse moor management is responsible without evidence to support it.’