Eyes on the skies

A special hotline has opened so that walkers can report sightings of one of the country’s rarest birds, the hen harrier. The RSPB is particularly keen for people to keep their eyes peeled this spring as it is carrying out, in partnership with Natural England, a national survey of harrier numbers.

One of the UK’s most awe-inspiring birds of prey, hen harriers are also among the most enigmatic. The male harrier performs a magnificent aerobatic display or ‘sky dance’ in spring and provides food to the female in spectacular food passes.  It is estimated that the heather moors of England should have around 200 pairs of nesting hen harriers, but in 2009 there were only six successful nests, with the majority of these in one area of Lancashire. Illegal killing or deliberate disturbance is the main reason that hen harriers are absent from almost all areas of suitable moorland in northern England.

Peter Robertson, the RSPB’s conservation manager for Northern England said: “I hope that anyone lucky enough to spot one of these glorious birds will take the time to give us a call. Reports of hen harriers received via the Hotline in previous years have contributed vital information that have helped us monitor and protect these rare birds.”

The Harrier Hotline number is 0845 4600121 (calls charged at local rate).  Reports can also be emailed to henharriers@rspb.org.uk and should include the date and location of sighting, with a six-figure grid reference where possible.

Know your Harrier

• Harriers are smaller than a buzzard and larger than a crow.

• They are usually seen flying low over the ground, ‘quartering’ when hunting with wings raised in a shallow V when gliding.

• Male and female harriers have strikingly different plumage: males (shown below) have silver-grey upperparts, white underparts, white rump, black wing-tips.  Females (shown above) are larger, dark brown with buff marks on wing, grey-brown tail with darker bands and obvious white band at the base of the tail.  Underparts are buffish-white, heavily streaked with brown.

• Usually silent except when at nest

• Live in open areas with low vegetation. In the breeding season UK birds are to be found on the upland heather moorlands of Wales, Northern England, N Ireland and Scotland (as well as the Isle of Man). In winter they usually move to lowland farmland, heathland, coastal marshes, fenland and river valleys.