Hen Harriers and Grouse Moors: Debunking the Biggest Myths
- Rob Beeson
- Aug 26
- 7 min read
As a ground-nesting bird, the hen harrier faces numerous challenges, including predation, disease, starvation, and extreme weather. Historically, the species faced severe declines, even reaching a low of zero chicks fledged in England in 2013, making it a red-listed species of conservation concern.
In recent years, however, England has witnessed a remarkable turnaround in hen harrier numbers, largely due to collaborative conservation efforts. Despite this success, the relationship between hen harriers and grouse moors remains a subject of intense debate, often fuelled by accusations of persecution linked to driven grouse shooting.
This blog post aims to address key concerns raised by those who oppose grouse shooting by presenting the evidence, fostering a more balanced understanding of this complex issue.
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Persecution of Hen Harriers: The "Invisible Crimes" Narrative
A common belief is that grouse shooting directly leads to the illegal persecution of hen harriers, with many claiming that missing satellite-tagged birds are irrefutable proof of foul play. Reports from some organisations frequently highlight "confirmed or suspected" persecution cases, often attributing them to grouse moor management without explicit evidence.
This narrative suggests a "climate of impunity" where illegal activities go unpunished. The Moorland Association unreservedly condemns any form of wildlife crime and maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards raptor persecution.
Government, landowners, charities, and game shooting organisations are committed to stamping out illegal raptor killing through positive collaboration. Several points challenge the narrative of widespread, unproven persecution:
Misleading Data on Missing Tags
The centrepiece of some reports relies on satellite-tagging data, claiming many tagged birds are "confirmed or suspected" persecuted. However, Natural England, which runs the government's tagging effort, cautions that missing tags do not necessarily mean foul play. Natural deaths, tag failures, or even unfortunate collisions can explain disappearances.
High Natural Mortality Rates
It's crucial to acknowledge that hen harriers, especially juveniles, have a high natural mortality rate. Studies, such as one on Orkney, found that about three-quarters of hen harriers die in their first year. On the UK mainland, simply attributing every vanishing bird to suspicious activity, as some reports do, bypasses basic scientific prudence and can appear like a "conspiracy theory". In fact, approximately 60% of hen harriers die from natural causes in their first year alone.
Low Conviction Rates Reflect Lack of Evidence
The argument of a "climate of impunity" due to rare prosecutions overlooks the fact that successful prosecutions require concrete evidence, not innuendo. With remote terrain and elusive culprits, convictions are inherently difficult to secure.
Recent data from the National Wildlife Crime Unit indicates that out of four convictions for bird crime in a recent year, none involved gamekeepers. This contradicts sweeping generalisations that blame gamekeepers for all incidents.
Collaborative Efforts to Combat Crime
The Moorland Association highlights the substantial work of the National Wildlife Crime Unit, the involvement of seven police forces focused on moorland areas, and the collaborative efforts of landowners and keepers. The Moorland Association and other organisations have implemented zero-tolerance policies and removed members where evidence warranted it, efforts often unacknowledged by critics.
Habitat Disruption: Grouse Mooring as a Hen Harrier Haven
Critics often argue that grouse moor management practices, such as heather burning and predator control, create an unsuitable habitat for hen harriers or even actively destroy it. There is a perception that hen harriers are driven away from grouse moors due to hostile environments.
Contrary to this concern, evidence overwhelmingly shows that grouse moors provide highly suitable and actively managed habitats that significantly benefit hen harriers.
Primary Breeding Grounds
Natural England data confirms that 80% of England's successful hen harrier nests are found on driven grouse moors, despite these areas comprising only 50% of the suitable upland habitat. This disproportionately high nesting success demonstrates that the birds are not just surviving, but thriving, where the habitat is better managed.
Benefits of Management
Grouse moors offer a range of advantages for hen harriers:
Predator Control: As ground-nesting birds, hen harrier eggs and chicks are highly vulnerable to predation. On grouse moors, the numbers of predators like foxes, stoats, weasels, crows, and gulls are controlled, particularly during the egg-laying season, significantly boosting the chances of successful fledging.
Ideal Environment: These areas provide vast expanses of suitable territory with varied vegetation crucial for nesting, minimal disturbance from human activity, and abundant food sources like small mammals and other bird chicks.
Supplementary Feeding: Many hen harriers have benefited from supplementary feeding by gamekeepers, a tactic associated with increased nesting attempts.
Designated Areas in "Favourable Condition"
The evidence shows that the Defra recovery plan for hen harriers has bolstered the species population to the extent that both of its Special Protection Areas (Forest of Bowland and North Pennines), which include grouse moor land, reached "favourable condition" status last year, aligning with Natural England's parameters. This confirms that these managed landscapes are indeed serving as critical strongholds for the species.
Conflict Between Grouse Shooters and Hen Harriers: A Story of Collaboration
The historical narrative often portrays grouse shooters and hen harriers as being in direct, irreconcilable conflict, with grouse interests seen as inherently detrimental to hen harrier recovery. The perception is that any increase in hen harrier numbers on grouse moors is despite, not because of, management practices.
Recent years have demonstrated that collaboration between gamekeepers, landowners, and conservation agencies is not only possible but highly effective in boosting hen harrier populations.
The Success of the Brood Management Trial
The Defra-led Hen Harrier Action Plan, established in 2016, and the subsequent Brood Management Trial, which began in 2018, have been astonishingly effective. This initiative aimed to strike a balance between protecting hen harriers and supporting grouse moor management.
Population Quadrupled: England's hen harrier population has quadrupled in five years and reached its highest level in 100 years in 2022, with 119 chicks fledged, further increasing to a 200-year high of 141 chicks in 2023. This impressive growth stems from a low of zero chicks fledged in 2013.
Direct Impact of the Trial: Since 2019, 58 chicks have been successfully reared and released into the wild population through brood management. Overall, the trial has seen 485 chicks successfully take to the wing in England, which is nine times the number in the six-year period before the trial began.
Higher Survival Rates for Brood-Managed Birds: Data shows that the survival rate for hen harriers reared and released through the Brood Management Scheme trial is 44% from fledging through winter to the following May, nearly double the 24% for wild birds. This demonstrates the scheme's positive impact on their chances of survival. Birds reared in previous years have successfully bred in the wild, proving the scheme does not adversely affect their behaviour or breeding ability.
BTO Findings: A report by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) for Natural England confirmed that the rapid increase in breeding attempts (which quadrupled from 14 in 2018 to 54 in 2023 during the trial) is unlikely to be solely due to the direct effects of brood management on productivity. It strongly indicates that improvements in survival rates or settlement rates, or a combination of both, are also key drivers. The presence of brood management might have reduced the incentive for pre-breeding disturbance, leading to more birds attempting to breed and having their attempts detected. This suggests that the scheme facilitated a more tolerant environment for hen harriers.
Fostering Trust and Cooperation: Amanda Anderson, former Director of the Moorland Association, highlighted that the trial has been "far more successful than expected" and is making a significant contribution to a self-sustaining population. She expressed gratitude to all involved, including gamekeepers and estates, for their efforts. This collaborative approach led to a significant increase in hen harriers settling and breeding on grouse moors, as it gave moorland managers confidence that the impacts of hen harriers on grouse could be effectively managed.
Contrast with Other Regions
The Republic of Ireland has experienced a 30% drop in hen harrier numbers, and this cannot be attributed to driven grouse shooting, highlighting that factors other than shooting are at play in population declines elsewhere. Conversely, the success in England suggests that active management, including that by gamekeepers, is beneficial.
Addressing Inflammatory Rhetoric
Andrew Gilruth, Chief Executive of the Moorland Association, stated that the RSPB's claims about persecution are misleading and inflammatory, contributing to "real hate crimes" against gamekeepers. The RSPB's inflammatory rhetoric has real-world consequences, with an upland gamekeeper reportedly physically assaulted every 12 days in England. This underscores the need for balanced dialogue rather than blame.
Further Evidence & Case Studies
The success of coexistence between grouse shooting and hen harrier conservation is not just theoretical; it's demonstrated through concrete examples and data.
Frank the Hen Harrier
An exemplary case of coexistence is that of Frank, a male hen harrier tagged by Natural England in 2018. Frank was not originally a brood-managed bird, but some of his chicks have been included in the scheme.
He has successfully fathered at least 21 chicks over three successive years, predominantly favouring the grouse moors of the North Pennines. Frank’s continued presence and breeding success on these managed lands further illustrate that grouse moors can be vital habitats for hen harriers.
South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project
This project provides an analogue for successful collaboration. Launched in 2018, it has significantly boosted the eagle population in the Scottish Borders through translocating young birds. The key to its success has been "meaningful cooperation with landowners, foresters, and crucially – gamekeepers".
This model demonstrates that working with those who manage the land yields greater ecological dividends than working against them.
These case studies highlight a shift from conflict to cooperation, demonstrating that well-managed grouse moors can and do support thriving hen harrier populations.
Conclusion
The remarkable recovery of the hen harrier population in England to a 200-year high is a significant conservation success story. This turnaround is not coincidental but directly linked to the collaborative efforts of numerous partners, including the Moorland Association, Natural England, gamekeepers, and other conservation organisations, particularly through the Defra-led Brood Management Trial.
The evidence presented strongly rebuts the notion that grouse shooting is inherently detrimental to hen harriers. Instead, it highlights the vital role that well-managed grouse moors play as critical breeding habitats, and the positive impact of collaborative conservation tools like brood management.
For the long-term benefit of both hen harriers and the unique upland ecosystems they inhabit, it is essential to move beyond inflammatory rhetoric and acknowledge the empirical data. Conservation progress depends on collaboration, not scapegoating.
Supporting responsible land management practices that embrace cooperation and evidence-based solutions will ensure that hen harriers continue to thrive in England's uplands, alongside sustainable grouse shooting. The Moorland Association remains committed to evidence-based conservation and collaboration, advocating for a future where both hen harriers and grouse moor management can flourish.
