PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Hen Harriers: Conservation (7 September 2020)

Significant progress continues to be made on the actions set out in the hen harrier action plan. This includes Natural England carrying out an extensive nest and winter roost monitoring programme using a mix of staff and volunteers. Natural England and Forest Enterprise monitored 14 nests in 2020, all of which were successful. Another ten nests were monitored by the RSPB. In 2019 under the brood management trial one nest was brood managed and in 2020 two nests. To date, 13 birds have been reared in captivity and re-released back into the wild. Natural England has also fitted tags to 23 hen harrier chicks this year.

This year Natural England has recorded the best year for hen harrier breeding in England since Natural England’s hen harrier action plan was launched in 2016 with 19 successful nests and 60 chicks fledged.