In 2004 hen harriers were nationally in favourable conservation status in Scotland according to measures chosen by SNH in a conservation report for the UK’s Joint Nature Conservation Committee. A row has broken out about the fate of two satellite-tagged birds of prey. RSPB Scotland reports that two satellite-tagged hen harriers disappeared in suspicious circumstances on grouse moors during the first couple of weeks of lockdown, one in Aberdeenshire and one in Strathspey. Image: Graham Catley. Most hen harriers nest on the ground in a dry, well-drained location; wet sites are avoided in Britain and Ireland, although they are used elsewhere. A powerful charity has called for the licensing of grouse shooting after two hen harriers disappeared.RSPB Scotland said that BBC Scotland’s Landward programme indicated that the … The dead bird was discovered by … This means that one male hen harrier will mate with several females and bring food to their nests throughout the breeding season. One of the most striking things about the Hen Harrier is that the male and female differ remarkably in size and colour. The hen harrier is one of England’s most spectacular birds of prey and it is an unforgettable sight to watch this bird floating effortlessly, low over the ground, in search of prey. The hen harrier nests on the ground among the heather of upland moorlands. A hen harrier report for SNH is awaited later this year, which will incorporate the results of the latest national survey in … The hen harrier breeds on moors, bogs and in open forests. A hen harrier found dead earlier this year had previously been shot, according to a post-mortem examination. Cheryl has written a number of songs about British birds so we were thrilled when she agreed to write one specially for Hen Harrier Day 2020. Rural groups have rejected claims that grouse moor managers were responsible for the disappearance of a hen harrier. Hen harrier population suffers decline in Scotland . One key feature that hen harrier strongholds like Orkney, Islay and Arran have in common is the absence of grouse moors. RSPB Scotland has said it is "devastated" by the death of a hen harrier found shot and the disappearance of two more birds. Yet there are only 460 pairs in Scotland, largely concentrated around Orkney and the Western Isles. Hen harriers, particularly those on Orkney, are known to practice polygyny. There have been four national surveys of hen harriers in Scotland. The hen harrier is a slim bird. Last modified: 28 June 2017. It winters in the lowlands, particularly around the coast, on heathland and on farmland. Hen Harrier Action is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC049943.