Birds in the land of wizards.

 

In England, the land of Kings and Queens, with beautiful picturesque castles where nature blossoms and the deer and rabbits dance through the undergrowth as if liberated by Merlin’s magic wand...all is not what it seems...

The Hen Harrier has gone – eradicated!
 

A true story: changes in land use had already displaced an agile raptor - a truly elegant bird - the Hen Harrier.  The bird was forced up to the high moorland, away from its natural lowland heath breeding area, where it became abundant in this alternative habitat.

These open moors of rolling heather are a paradise for walkers hiking this gorgeous purple, leaving them free to admire the twists and turns of a low gliding Hen Harrier or the impressive dash of a Peregrine. These sights are the treasures of the active naturalist and make for simply priceless memories.

Why are birds of prey persecuted on grouse moors despite the fact that they are legally protected? The simple reason is because they prey on Red Grouse and much of the UK high moorland or uplands are managed for the recreational shooting of Red Grouse.

On the edge of extinction - but can be saved 

In 2013, for the first time since records began, no Hen Harriers fledged young in England. In 2014 this magnificent raptor was allowed to succeed in only three breeding sites in the entire UK. Despite this, there are plans to remove them from the Red Grouse shooting locations in the north of England. 

Conservationists say that there is space enough for up to 380 pairs of Hen Harriers on UK uplands, but as a result of persecution, just three pairs of the protected bird of prey nested in English uplands in 2014.

Truth is...there would be more than enough grouse to shoot afterwards – really!  

There is room for all. Some Red Grouse natural predation by Hen Harriers would have no significant effect on the thousands of birds available for shooting because the Hen Harriers only take a few birds. If this predation had any impact at all it would be to remove very slow or sick chicks on the ground, thus keeping the whole species on the moors healthy and fit has they are meant to be in the natural selection and order of things.

http://www.bou.org.uk/hen-harriers-going-going/