Gamekeepers 'are killing harriers'

Published on Saturday 26 July 2008 20:02

GAMEKEEPERS are systematically wiping out hen harriers on Scotland's grouse moors, according to a new scientific study of the birds and their habitats.

The harriers are believed to be Britain's most persecuted bird because they eat the chicks of red grouse. The new study, carried out by independent researcher Dr Philip Whitfield for the RSPB, accuses gamekeepers of eliminating the bird of prey and its young to protect the grouse that many upland estates rely on to bring in income.

The RSPB yesterday released figures which revealed that the number of crimes reported against birds of prey in the UK last year rose 40% to an all-time high. Some 34 birds of prey were shot, while 49 were poisoned.

The Scottish study, to be published next month – the start of the grouse-shooting season – says that previous research into the hen harrier in 1997 had indicated the bird is heavily persecuted on managed grouse moors, with breeding success "significantly lower" in these areas compared with elsewhere in the uplands.

Ten years on, the situation has not changed. "Human interference was an important cause of breeding failures and was only recorded on land which employed a gamekeeper," it says. "Gamekeepers were implicated or confirmed as responsible for breeding failure due to interference."

Other investigations by bird of prey experts have also found areas where breeding had "suspiciously failed".

"Of particular concern is the fact that many of these failures occurred within the Muirkirk and North Lowther Uplands Special Protection Area (SPA) – straddling Ayrshire, Lanarkshire and Dumfries & Galloway – notified by the Scottish Government due to its importance for breeding hen harriers on a UK and EU scale," says another report by the RSPB.

"Regardless of the number of recent confirmed records of persecution, the evidence still shows the species to be continually absent from or declining in large areas of apparently suitable grouse moor habitat, including sites where it was well established in the recent past, for example in north and east Scotland."

Duncan Orr Ewing, the RSPB's head of species and land management, said: "The overall message is that with only 630 breeding pairs in the UK, the hen harrier is a scarce bird. There are only 40 pairs present on grouse moors, which, as they are heather-nesting birds, should be perfect habitat.

"The number of pairs has increased in recent years but only on forestry plantations and on the west coast of Scotland. The number of pairs on grouse moors in the south and east has declined. This is because part of their diet is red grouse chicks and so their presence comes into conflict with grouse moor managers."

The allegations have been denied by the Scottish Gamekeepers Association, which said there were many reasons for breeding failures, including predation by increasing numbers of foxes.

Chairman Alex Hogg said: "There are video pictures showing foxes eating these birds' eggs, but constant monitoring and disturbance in the name of research also causes nesting failures. These researchers are allegedly investigating the persecution of hen harriers but what they appear to actually be doing is persecuting a profession."

The Scottish Government's environment minister Michael Russell said: "The hen harrier is a rarely seen but beautiful bird of prey. Sadly, it is also one of Scotland's most persecuted species.

"Persecution of wildlife is a despicable crime, something we have seen more than enough of in recent years."