Andrew Chick Ecology

A Hen Harrier (ringtail) passing a wind turbine… (c) Andrew P. Chick

Hen harriers, like many other bird species, are at risk of colliding with wind turbines. These birds of prey are particularly vulnerable because they often fly at heights that overlap with the rotor-swept area of turbines. Their flight behavior, which includes low-altitude hunting and soaring, further increases the risk of collision.

One key factor contributing to their susceptibility is flight height, as hen harriers frequently fly at altitudes that coincide with the operational range of turbine blades. Habitat overlap is another concern, as wind farms are often established in open landscapes such as moorlands and grasslands, which are also preferred habitats for hen harriers. Additionally, their hunting technique, which involves low-altitude flight and sudden directional changes, can make it difficult for them to avoid turbine blades.

Efforts to mitigate these risks include careful site selection for wind farms to avoid key habitats, as well as the use of radar systems to detect approaching birds and temporarily shut down turbines. Conservation organizations and wind energy companies often collaborate to find solutions that balance renewable energy development with wildlife protection.

While wind turbines pose a threat to hen harriers, ongoing research and mitigation strategies aim to minimize the impact on these and other vulnerable bird species.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) recognizes the importance of renewable energy, including wind turbines, in combating climate change, which is one of the most significant long-term threats to wildlife and habitats. However, the RSPB also emphasizes the need for careful planning and siting of wind turbines to minimize their impact on bird populations and other wildlife.

The RSPB supports the development of wind energy projects that are located and designed in a way that avoids significant harm to birds, their habitats, and other biodiversity. They advocate for thorough environmental impact assessments and the use of strategic planning to ensure that wind farms are built in areas where they will have the least negative impact on wildlife.

In summary, while the RSPB supports the transition to renewable energy to mitigate climate change, they also stress the importance of balancing this with the need to protect bird species and their habitats from potential adverse effects of wind turbine installations.

Hen harriers are rare in the UK primarily due to persecution, habitat loss, and low breeding success. These factors have significantly reduced their population, making them one of the UK’s most threatened birds of prey. Here’s a breakdown of the key reasons:

1. Illegal Persecution

• Hen harriers are often illegally killed, particularly in areas managed for red grouse shooting. This is because hen harriers prey on red grouse, which can reduce the number of grouse available for shooting estates.
• Despite being a protected species under UK law, illegal killing (including shooting, trapping, and nest destruction) remains a major threat. This persecution is a significant barrier to their recovery.

2. Habitat Loss and Degradation

• Hen harriers rely on upland moorland for breeding and foraging. However, large areas of these habitats have been lost or degraded due to:
  • Afforestation (planting of commercial forests).
  • Agricultural intensification.
  • Overgrazing by livestock.
  • Drainage of moorland for land management.
• These changes reduce the availability of suitable nesting and hunting grounds.

3. Low Breeding Success

• Even when hen harriers are not directly persecuted, their breeding success is often low due to:
  • Disturbance at nest sites by humans or livestock.
  • Food shortages in degraded habitats.
  • Predation of eggs and chicks by other animals.
• In some cases, nests are deliberately disturbed or destroyed to prevent hen harriers from breeding in areas managed for grouse shooting.

4. Historical Decline

• Hen harriers were once more widespread in the UK, but their numbers declined dramatically in the 19th and early 20th centuries due to persecution and habitat changes. Although they have partially recovered in some areas, their population remains critically low.

5. Limited Range and Population

• Hen harriers are now largely confined to specific areas in the UK, such as parts of Scotland, Northern England, and Wales. Their small and fragmented population makes them vulnerable to further declines.

Conservation Efforts

The RSPB and other conservation organizations are working to protect hen harriers through:

• Legal protection and enforcement against persecution.
• Habitat restoration and management.
• Nest protection schemes and monitoring.
• Brood management trials to reduce conflict with grouse moor management.

Despite these efforts, hen harriers remain rare, and their recovery depends on addressing the ongoing challenges of persecution and habitat loss. Public awareness and political will are also crucial to ensuring their survival in the UK.

Wild Justice, a UK-based environmental advocacy group founded by Chris Packham, Dr. Ruth Tingay, and Dr. Mark Avery, strongly criticizes the current management practices and legal frameworks that have contributed to the decline of hen harriers in the UK. They argue that illegal persecution, particularly in areas managed for driven grouse shooting, is the primary cause of the decline and believe that the UK government and regulatory bodies have failed to provide adequate protection for this species.

According to Wild Justice, hen harriers are illegally killed on grouse moors because they prey on red grouse, reducing the number of birds available for shooting. This persecution, which includes shooting, trapping, and nest destruction, continues despite hen harriers being legally protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Weak enforcement and rare prosecutions have allowed this illegal activity to persist. The organization has criticized the UK government and agencies such as Natural England for their lenient approach towards the grouse shooting industry, highlighting a lack of transparency and accountability in addressing wildlife crime linked to moorland management.

Wild Justice is particularly opposed to brood management schemes, where hen harrier chicks are removed from grouse moors, raised in captivity, and later released. They argue that this approach legitimizes persecution and fails to address the root cause of the problem: illegal killing. Instead, they advocate for stronger enforcement of existing laws and call for a ban on driven grouse shooting, which they see as the main driver of hen harrier persecution.

The organization also considers driven grouse shooting to be an unsustainable and environmentally damaging practice. Intensive management of grouse moors, including heather burning and predator control, is believed to harm biodiversity and contribute to the decline of hen harriers and other wildlife. Citing negative impacts on wildlife, the environment, and climate change, Wild Justice continues to campaign for a ban on this practice.

Through legal challenges and public campaigns, Wild Justice has sought to raise awareness about the plight of hen harriers. They have taken legal action against the UK government for failing to properly implement wildlife protection laws and encourage public pressure on policymakers to enact change. They believe the decline of hen harriers is a symptom of a flawed system that prioritizes the interests of the grouse shooting industry over wildlife conservation. Their ultimate goal is to ensure stronger legal protections, improved enforcement, and the recovery of hen harriers and other upland species by challenging the status quo and holding those in power accountable.