A promising first year of the hen harrier conservation breeding programme and reintroduction

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A blog from Natural England gives us an update on the Hen Harrier conservation breeding programme, which forms an important step in the Southern England Hen Harrier Reintroduction Project. As the NGO’s most recent YouTube video explained, the plan is to produce juvenile hen harriers for release into the arable landscape of Wiltshire, with the aim of creating a sustainable population in southern England. 

Despite opposition and sabotage from so-called conservation charities – most notably the RSPB – the project is now underway, and the Natural England blog highlights how the Harriers are faring.

This conservation breeding programme is the first recorded attempt at breeding hen harriers in captivity and is being undertaken by experts at the International Centre for Birds of Prey (ICBP). The birds in the conservation breeding programme are at the age now where breeding is possible. However, the probability of breeding this year was low.

Some of the female Harrier did begin nest creation, and several food passes were witnessed. However, following a long period of bad weather, the behaviour decreased and ceased by June, and no eggs were laid. Jemima Parry-Jones, who is leading the conservation breeding programme at the ICBP, said:

"To a certain extent we are working in the dark as no one has bred hen harriers in captivity, so we do not know what might encourage them to breed. Working with the pairs we have at the moment has been a learning curve and we are making some changes to the programme this autumn to see if they help and encourage the Hen Harriers to feel more settled and give them the confidence to move forward and breed. It's exciting, challenging, and fascinating work, but we hope to succeed in the end as they are amazing birds to work with”. 

The Harriers will be closely observed for the rest of the year and in the build-up to next year’s breeding season. If enough juveniles are produced next year, they will be released, and satellite tagged to monitor their progress overtime.  

John Holmes, Strategy Director for Natural England, writes that: 

"The project team are keen to build upon existing relationships with the local community and engage with new people in and around Wiltshire. Though guided walks, visits and one to one conversations project staff can work with local people to inform them about the reintroduction. By understanding the thoughts and feelings of local farmers, landowners, game keepers and conservation groups the project can work to alleviate concerns and encourage support for hen harrier recovery."

In the NGO’s most recent video on this Hen Harrier project (which can be viewed here), we spoke to a keeper working in the exact are where Hen Harriers are likely to be released. Far from being concerned about the proposed Harriers, he welcomes them; his main concern would be whether they can find a foothold for themselves among the other, existing birds of prey who are already well-established in the area. 

The NGO are fully supportive of the Southern re-introduction project and remain keen to work alongside Natural England and help in whatever way we can. 

Tim Weston, Regional Development Officer for the NGO, said:

“Gamekeepers have been helping the Hen Harrier to establish healthy breeding populations in the north of England to far greater success than so-called nature reserves, as a direct result of the grouse moor management which sees a whole plethora of species thrive. Gamekeepers in the south are excited about the possibility of seeing more resident hen harriers living alongside the many other birds of prey that live on shooting estates. Game management activities are clearly beneficial to bio-diversity and many threatened species are doing well on land managed for shooting." 

"Gamekeepers are Britain’s largest group of privately funded conservationists and if those who oppose shooting sports were to come to the table and work with us I am sure that we could learn from each other. In the meantime gamekeepers will keep doing the good work that they do for the benefit of the UK’s wildlife and wild places”