The Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW) Scotland, have launched the Heads up for Harriers scheme - their own version of the Hen Harrier Hotline - and are appealing for members of the public to send in their sightings of hen harriers across Scotland. They have said:
As the Partnership for Action against Wildlife Crime (PAW Scotland) we want to stop all crime against wildlife. We are particularly determined to stamp out illegal persecution of birds of prey.
The hen harrier is one of these birds. It is also one of our most alluring raptors - with the male’s skydancing courtship display one of nature’s great sights.
Found mainly across moorland throughout Scotland, numbers were around 500 pairs in 2010. In many areas they are now struggling to breed, or absent. Elsewhere in the UK they are faring even worse. Factors accounting for these changes include land use changes resulting in losses of moorland nesting habitat and feeding range, predation of eggs and young by foxes, crows and other predators, and illegal persecution
To increase our knowledge, we need to know more about the hen harrier’s whereabouts. We are launching a pilot scheme to raise the profile of this special bird, and to help us develop a clearer picture of where harriers occur. We will continue to develop this work in 2014.
Information on where (including 6-figure grid reference) and when the hen harrier was seen, whether it was a male or female, and what behaviours it was exhibiting (eg flying high, skydancing, hunting, carrying nesting material) could be incredibly valuable in helping our Scottish colleagues to keep track of these birds.
You can find more information on the initiative here and records should be emailed to: HenHarrier@snh.gov.uk (it’s not case sensitive), or posted to: Heads up for Harriers, Scottish Natural Heritage, Great Glen House, Leachkin Road, Inverness IV3 8NW.