Where Eagles Thrive, Keepers Work

Photo by Imran Shah

In the hills of Donegal, golden eagles once again glide over bog and bracken. Their reintroduction in the early 2000s was hailed as a triumph for Irish conservation - a symbol of renewal and resilience. But two decades later, the situation remains precarious. Only 20–25 golden eagles are thought to survive there, with just five territorial pairs.

The issue? Not illegal killing or loss of habitat, but a near-total collapse in food availability. A recent study in the Irish Naturalists’ Journal shows prey biomass in Donegal is up to 83 % lower than in the Scottish Highlands. Hares and grouse have all but vanished, leaving the landscape ecologically barren despite its wild appearance.

A Working Model from the Scottish Borders

A different story is unfolding in southern Scotland. The South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project, launched in 2018, has been quietly transforming the Borders' eagle population by translocating young birds from the Highlands and Hebrides. By 2022 numbers had risen to nearly 50 individuals, the highest in over 300 years, with some even venturing into northern England.

The key to this success? Meaningful cooperation with landowners, foresters, and crucially - gamekeepers. Rather than adversarial conservation, this model proves that working with those who manage the land daily yields far greater ecological dividends than working against them. It’s a pattern the late Dick Potts predicted.

In his 2012 book Partridges, he foresaw a time when raptor conservationists and game managers would become natural allies. He argued that shooting estates would become the last strongholds of the raptors prey base. His thinking was that mutual interest would lead to mutual benefit. And he was right.

Grouse Moors: A Hidden Stronghold for Raptors

England currently hosts the highest number of hen harriers in two centuries. Over 80 % of nests are on moors managed for grouse, yet these special places account for only half the suitable habitat. When gamekeepers focus on prey, habitat and predator control, raptors can clearly benefit too.

Yet some remain reluctant to acknowledge this reality. As Rishi Sunak MP said in the recent Westminster debate on driven grouse shooting: "A Britain without grouse shooting would not be a Britain where hen harriers would thrive."

Grouse moors are already recognised for hosting vast numbers of wading birds like golden plover, curlew, and lapwing - but perhaps it’s time we highlighted how many raptors they support too. Buzzards, red kites, kestrels, peregrines and even eagles are regular sightings. Raptors aren’t just surviving on these moors, they’re often thriving.

Conservation That Builds, Not Blames

But effective collaboration requires trust, and that starts with honest data. The RSPB’s recent report on alleged “hen harrier crimes” was deeply misleading. Every incident was attributed to shooting in some vague way. In fact, there were only four successful convictions for raptor crimes last year.

None involved gamekeepers or shooting estates. The RSPB has a track record of statistical inflation when it comes to raptor crime. If it wants to remain a serious voice in conservation, that must change. Otherwise, it risks being left playing marbles in the middle of the road while the rest of us get on with the job.

The contrast between Donegal and southern Scotland is instructive. In Ireland, the absence of active management has led to overgrazing, unchecked deer, and a surge in mesopredators - devastating the prey base from the ground up. In contrast, the Scottish model, blending game management with conservation, works, not just for raptors, but for people too.

As our uplands face growing ecological and political pressures, deeper partnerships between game managers and conservationists aren’t just desirable - they’re essential. Raptors need prey. Prey need habitat. Habitat needs management. And it’s gamekeepers who deliver that management every day.

If you're attending the Game Fair this year, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Perhaps we need to strengthen game-raptor partnerships. Because whether you shoot, ring, track or count, we all care about the future of our uplands. And maybe, just maybe, Dick Potts was right about that too.

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