Durham Police and the RSPB are appealing for information after a protected Hen Harrier disappeared in suspicious circumstances in County Durham in January: part of a clear pattern of Scottish birds disappearing on or near English grouse moors.
The young female bird hatched on a Scottish nest in 2024 and was named Red by local schoolchildren. Whilst still a chick, Red was fitted with a satellite tag in 2024 as part of an RSPB programme to gather more information about this rare and persecuted species. The tags, fitted when the birds are still in the nest, are worn like tiny rucksacks and continue to transmit even after a bird dies.
After fledging her nest, Red flew into England and spent the winter in the North Pennines. On 15 January, her tag showed her to be roosting on a grouse moor near Hamsterley Forest. After this, the daily transmissions unexpectedly ceased.
The matter was referred to the NWCU (National Wildlife Crime Unit) as part of ongoing partnership work with the Hen Harrier Task Force, set up by NWCU to combat illegal persecution of the species. Durham Police carried out a search of the area but found no sign of the bird or the tag.
Two other Hen Harriers from Tarras Valley have previously disappeared in similar suspicious circumstances, also last seen on English grouse moors, in 2021 and 2022.
The RSPB is urging the government to introduce a licensing scheme for grouse and gamebird shooting, as is now law in Scotland. If criminal activity – such as raptor persecution – is detected on an estate, then this licence can be removed.
Hen Harriers are rare breeding birds and fully protected by law. They are known for their acrobatic ‘skydancing’ courtship display which they perform above upland moors in spring. There were just 25 successful Hen Harrier nests in England 2024, despite a previous independent government report finding that there is enough habitat and food to support over 300 pairs. Illegal killing continues to be the main factor limiting the recovery of the UK Hen Harrier population.
A scientific study published in the journal Biological Conservation found that survival rates of Hen Harriers were ‘unusually low’, and illegal killing was identified as a major cause. And previously, a 2019 Government study concluded that Hen Harriers suffer elevated levels of mortality on grouse moors, most likely as a result of illegal killing. The RSPB’s Birdcrime report also found that 75% of all individuals convicted of bird of prey persecution-related offences from 2009 to 2023 were connected to the gamebird shooting industry.
Howard Jones, RSPB Senior Investigations Officer, said:
“The disappearance of Red is a huge blow for a struggling species where every bird counts. Should a tagged bird die, its tag would continue transmitting, allowing us to recover the body. This was not the case, which strongly suggests human interference.
“This latest incident follows a clear pattern of Hen Harriers disappearing on driven grouse moors. It’s overwhelmingly clear that action must be taken to protect these birds in these landscapes. Licensing of driven grouse shooting estates must be implemented to ensure all estates are operating within the law, and to protect birds like Hen Harriers from persistent persecution.”
Jenny Barlow, Spokesperson for Tarras Valley Nature Reserve, said:
“There is always such a buzz of excitement and anticipation for our Hen Harriers to return each year to the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve here in Langholm. A real dedicated community and volunteer effort goes into monitoring and safeguarding our harrier chicks to give these magnificent birds the best possible start on our community-owned reserve. It is extremely sad news for us all to find out that one of our 2024 chicks won't be making her way back home to us again.”
PCSO Chloe Gilding, Durham Constabulary's Wildlife Crime Officer, said:
"We received a report of a hen harrier tracking incident from the National Wildlife Crime Unit, which showed the tracker of a young bird had last transmitted over an area in Teesdale on January 15.
"The Barnard Castle Neighbourhood Policing Team conducted a search with assistance from the drone and the landowners but were unable to locate the bird.
“Raptor persecution is a national wildlife crime priority, and if anyone has any information, please contact us by emailing Chloe.Gilding@durham.police.uk using the crime reference CRI00597461."
If you notice a dead or injured bird of prey in suspicious circumstances, please call the police on 101 and fill in the RSPB’s online reporting form: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/wild-bird-crime-report-form/
If you have information about anyone killing birds of prey which you wish to report anonymously, call the RSPB’s confidential Raptor Crime Hotline on 0300 999 0101.