News

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has announced that three more satellite-tagged Hen Harriers have disappeared from private grouse moors. The birds went missing between 9 and 15 August, coinciding with the start of the grouse-shooting season. The RSPB Chief Executive, Beccy Speight, expressed concern over the unprecedented number of missing Hen Harriers in such a short period, all occurring on driven grouse moors. Speight emphasized the need to take action, stating that the survival of these birds is crucial for achieving a sustainable population in England.

These recent disappearances add to the 21 tagged Hen Harriers reported missing in the previous 12 months leading up to April. The three missing birds last transmitted their locations from Westburnhope Moor in the North Pennines on 9 August, Mossdale Moor in the Yorkshire Dales on 11 August, and Moorland at Birkdale Common in Cumbria on 15 August.

The RSPB also highlighted that nine other satellite-tagged harriers had vanished or been found dead near Birkdale Common since September 2020. The charity has reported all three incidents to the police and the National Wildlife Crime Unit, urging individuals with information about bird of prey killings to come forward and report anonymously to the RSPB’s confidential Raptor Crime Hotline at 0300 999 0101.

The disappearance of these Hen Harriers raises concerns about the protection of these magnificent birds and the impact of grouse shooting on their population. Efforts to preserve their nests and productivity will be in vain if they do not survive. Immediate action and stricter enforcement of wildlife protection laws are necessary to ensure the long-term preservation of Hen Harriers in England.

The post Three Hen Harriers Disappear from Grouse Moors, RSPB Reports appeared first on ISP Today.