The Hen Harrier is one of Ireland’s most alluring raptors.

Renowned for their spectacular aerial courtship display known as the ‘skydance’, this ground-nesting species plays a crucial role in our wild upland landscapes.

Tragically, we could stand to lose them. Activities such as forestry, agriculture, renewable energy and recreation have changed our landscape, reducing the amount of habitat that breeding Hen Harrier need. These changes have also reduced the amount of food available and left the Hen Harrier more exposed to predation. As a result of this combination of pressures, Hen Harrier numbers have plummeted. At the current rate of decline, we could lose the Hen Harrier to extinction in the next 25 years, its stunning sky dance lost from hills and mountains and left only to memory.

We have reached a crisis point. Urgent intervention is needed if we have any hope of bringing the Hen Harrier back from the brink.

Take Action Now!

The draft Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan (HHTRP) is open for public consultation until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, February 20th, 2024 and we are urging you to have your say on it. While there are some positives in the plan, we at BirdWatch Ireland have a number of concerns and don’t believe that the HHTRP as it stands goes far enough to reverse the decline of Hen Harrier in Ireland. Support our campaign to save the skydancer from extinction by making a submission, which outlines three of our key asks. The template below can serve as a guide. Additionally, if you would like to attach our full submission as an attachment, you can download it here.

Dear whom it may concern,

To save the Sky Dancer the Hen harrier Threat Response Plan must :

    1. Protect all nationally important Hen Harrier breeding and wintering grounds from afforestation, forest management activities, wind energy development and other pressures.
    2.  Restore habitat across all nationally important breeding and wintering sites using clear restoration targets and timelines.
    3.  Guarantee long-term support for farmers through a well-funded results-based schemes across all nationally important breeding and wintering grounds.

Yours Sincerely,

[Your Name here].

 

You can email your submission to henharrierconsultation@npws.gov.ie or by post to: Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan Consultation, Agri-Ecology Unit, National Parks and Wildlife Service, 90 North King Street, Smithfield, Dublin D07 N7CV.

The Hen Harrier is one of Ireland’s most studied birds. We know what we need to do to save it from extinction.

Read our joint submission to the draft Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan by clicking here.

Why now?

The results of the fifth national survey of Hen Harriers in Ireland undertaken in 2022 make for stark reading.

  • Since the last national survey in 2015 the species has declined by one-third, with just 85-106 breeding pairs estimated to remain in the country.
  • A comparison of Hen Harrier numbers in specific survey squares which were covered across the various national surveys reveals that Hen Harriers have declined by a shocking 59% since the first national survey in 1998-2000.
  • At the current rate of decline, population extinction could be expected within 25 years and there could be fewer than 50 breeding pairs of Hen Harrier remaining within the next 10 years.
  • Hen Harrier populations in five of the Special Protection Areas (SPAs) designated for their protection have declined by between 20% and 80% since 2007, when they were identified for designation. Overall, the SPA populations have declined by more than half (54 %) in the same period.

While we at BirdWatch Ireland have been pushing for a robust and fit-for-purpose Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan for over a decade, the publication of the latest survey results in February 2024 highlights the need for immediate action.

How can I spread the word about the Hen Harrier?

The more people who can get behind the campaign to save the Hen Harrier, the better. You can help us to spread the word by sharing this webpage with your friends and family and encouraging them to make a submission to the draft Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan consultation.

Social media is also a fantastic way to spread information. In the coming weeks, we will be running a campaign aimed at spreading awareness about the Hen Harrier and encouraging people to make a consultation. We would be extremely grateful if you could follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn and share our posts.

How can I learn more about the Hen Harrier?

At BirdWatch Ireland, we have an abundance of information on the Hen Harrier. The video at the top of this page offers a captivating introduction to Ireland’s skydancer.

You can also learn more at the pages below:

 

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Image and Photo Credits – Audio: Sean Ronayne; Hen Harrier Banner Image: Mike Brown