Hen Harrier
Surfbirds News: RSPB Archives
The importance of protecting the harrier nest has been highlighted by an incident last year, when a female harrier nesting in Northumberland disappeared in mysterious circumstances. The bird is believed to have been shot while away from her nest, which contained two eggs. Another nest 2 km away failed when the eggs vanished.
This year there have already been several reports of hen harriers disappearing from suitable nesting areas in England, and incidents in North Yorkshire and Northumberland are already under investigation by the police.
Amanda Miller, RSPB Conservation Manager for North East England said: 'The English hen harrier population is perilously low, so every nest is precious and it’s wonderful news that these magnificent birds are nesting in Northumberland. The dedication and commitment of local volunteers has been tremendous and we are very grateful to them for giving of their time to help guard these special birds.
Hen Harrier, copyright Pete Hadfield
'However, it’s a sad state of affairs that in the 21st Century, the RSPB still has to spend so much time and money safeguarding hen harriers and other birds of prey even though they are fully protected under UK law.'
Tom Dearnley, Forestry Commission Ecologist, said: 'These are incredibly charismatic birds. But they can also be very unpredictable in their nesting habits, making this site even more important. This area of Northumberland is exceptional for its bird of prey populations thanks to sensitive habitat management. We look forwards to working with partners to secure a future for this exceptional and rare species.'
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