PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Hen Harriers (7 September 2020)
Question Asked
Asked by:
Mr Richard Holden (Conservative)
Answer
The results from the most recent UK national survey in 2016 (Wotton, S. et al 2018) showed that in England, the hen harrier population was at least four recorded pairs. However, data on nesting attempts from recent years suggests a higher breeding population. The table below shows data on hen harrier breeding success in England from 2011 to 2020.
| Nesting Attempts | Successful Nests | Chicks Fledged |
2011 | 9 | 4 | 12 |
2012 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
2013 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
2014 | 4 | 4 | 15 |
2015 | 12 | 6 | 18 |
2016 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
2017 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
2018 | 14 | 9 | 34 |
2019 | 15 | 12 | 46 |
2020 | 24 | 19 | 60 |
Hen harrier numbers are normally monitored through breeding data. Obtaining a figure for non-breeding and over winter numbers would be very difficult and there is no centrally coordinated monitoring of non-breeding numbers.
Answered by:
Rebecca Pow (Conservative)
10 September 2020
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