Bad year puts hen harriers close to the edge

In England there were only six successful nests - the worst hen harrier breeding figures since monitoring work began in 2002. This compares to last year when there were 10 nests and 14 in 2007. The status of the hen harrier as an English breeding bird is now on the brink, say the RSPB and Natural England.

While there is no evidence of illegal killing or nest destruction associated with this year's breeding failures, illegal persecution has led to today's critically low breeding numbers and patchy distribution.

As a result, hen harriers are even more vulnerable to chance natural events.

In 2007 and 2008, one pair of hen harriers nested successfully in North Tynedale, with shifts of volunteers providing a 24-hour guard.

In 2006 a pair also nested successfully at Geltsdale on the Northumberland-Cumbria border, again with a round-the-clock watch.

Dr Mark Avery, the RSPB's director of conservation, said: "We always feared that with hen harrier numbers kept so low, the English population was extremely vulnerable to a bad year like this.

"There can be no place in England's future for the illegal killing of birds of prey. Land owners and other shooting groups need to show real commitment and start working with Natural England, RSPB and the British Association for Shooting and Conservation to implement legal solutions such as diversionary feeding."

John Swift, chief executive of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation, said: "A bad winter has left the hen harrier population even more vulnerable than before.

"This means that everybody must concentrate on doing what they can to ensure that the moorland habitat continues to be well managed and that persecution is confined to history.

"It is imperative that we find a solution to the conflict between grouse shooting and birds of prey and those who manage grouse moors must continue to be vigilant against persecution of harriers."