Article here.
Hen harriers are close to being wiped out as a breeding bird in England, with just one pair showing signs of nesting this year, a wildlife charity said.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said none are trying to nest in Lancashire's Bowland Fells, their only recent English stronghold.
Only four nesting pairs raised chicks last year, all in Bowland.
The RSPB claim the bird has suffered from illegal persecution by gamekeepers on shooting estates.
It said the problem is particularly bad in areas with grouse moors, because the bird is a predator of the game bird. ...
It said if only one pair nests in England this year, it will be the worst breeding season since they recolonised the country in the 1960s after being driven to extinction by persecution in the late 19th Century.
Very worrying.
Hen harriers are close to being wiped out as a breeding bird in England, with just one pair showing signs of nesting this year, a wildlife charity said.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said none are trying to nest in Lancashire's Bowland Fells, their only recent English stronghold.
Only four nesting pairs raised chicks last year, all in Bowland.
The RSPB claim the bird has suffered from illegal persecution by gamekeepers on shooting estates.
It said the problem is particularly bad in areas with grouse moors, because the bird is a predator of the game bird. ...
It said if only one pair nests in England this year, it will be the worst breeding season since they recolonised the country in the 1960s after being driven to extinction by persecution in the late 19th Century.
Very worrying.