Hen Harrier Day is an annual event that’s been running since 2014, with the aim of bringing an end to wildlife crime. In 2014 a Hen Harrier Habitat Mapping Project focusing on the Hen Harrier SPAs and based on remote sensing techniques was undertaken by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. These can be privately owned or commonage. This species has a large range. Usually, it is an opportunity for passionate people to come together outdoors to celebrate wildlife and spread the word of their essential conservation. The chicks fledge at around 36 days old, though breeding maturity is not reached until 2 years in females and 3 years in males. The upland and marginal farmland in these SPAs are of high conservation value, many comprising protected habitats and supporting threatened bird and animal species. [15][16] Hen harriers nest and forage in commercial forestry when it is young, before the canopy closes (typically at between 9–12 and years old), but do not make much use of thicket and subsequent growth stages,[17][18] which typically comprise between ​2⁄3 and ​3⁄4 of the commercial growth cycle. There are two main types of peatland that are commonly farmed. The traditional nesting habitat of Hen Harrier across Britain and Ireland has been predominantly Heather. These are the most important sources of plant and animal biodiversity. This medium-sized raptor breeds on moorland, bogs, prairies, farmland coastal prairies, marshes, grasslands, swamps and other assorted open areas. Four to eight (exceptionally 2 to 10) whitish eggs are laid. Occasionally, both harriers and short-eared owls will harass each other until the victim drops its prey and it can be stolen, a practice known as kleptoparasitism. They may be hedgerows, stone walls, drainage ditches, streams, earth bank or treelines. It would have a low stock carrying capacity but is an important component of summer grazing for cattle and sheep or year-round grazing for sheep. Around five per cent of the UK’s harrier population lives on the Isle of Man. The genus name Circus is derived from Ancient Greek kirkos 'circle', referring to a bird of prey named for its circling flight. Harriers use hearing regularly to find prey, as they have exceptionally good hearing for diurnal raptors, this being the function of their owl-like facial disc. However, much of its range, particularly in Ireland and parts of western Britain, has been (and continues to be) afforested, predominantly with non-native conifers such as Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) from North America. It is common on slopes of hills and mountains. A male will maintain a territory averaging 2.6 km (1.0 sq mi), though male territories have ranged from 1.7 to 150 km (0.66 to 57.92 sq mi). Hen harrier inhabits grasslands, marshes, pastures, woodlands, coastal areas, river valleys and semi-deserts. Furthermore, research shows that although pre-thicket coniferous forests are becoming increasingly important landscapes for hen harrier the habitat is sub-optimal for the species and may negatively impact breeding success. There is evidence of a population decline, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e., declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). Harriers are sometimes called "good hawks" because they pose no threat to poultry as some hawks do. Hen harrier distribution. p. 106. Their underparts are buff streaked with brown. In 2014 a Hen Harrier Habitat Mapping Project focusing on the Hen Harrier SPAs and based on remote sensing techniques was undertaken by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. Another common peatland habitat is blanket bog; this may be upland or lowland blanket bog. This type of grassland occurs particularly in the higher elevations where peatland habitats occur, often in a mosaic among them. These grasslands are called semi-natural grasslands. A male Hen Harrier – a grey ghost – elegantly flying back and forth just above the vegetation over a misty moorland is a sight that once seen is never forgotten. Rushes and grasses are frequently important in wetlands and provide important habitats for aquatic plants and animals. The nest is built on the ground or on a mound of dirt or vegetation. The Hen Harrier is a ground nesting bird adapted to open moorland and marginal grassland habitats. Woo-Shin Lee, Tae-Hoe Koo, Jin-Young Park (2005). When incubating eggs, the female sits on the nest while the male hunts and brings food to her and the chicks. Short-eared owls are natural competitors of this species that favor the same prey and habitat, as well as having a similarly broad distribution. Disturbance of these species may only by undertaken by licensed individuals. The longest-lived known bird is 16 years and 5 months. It winters in the lowlands, particularly around the coast, on heathland and on farmland. [2], While many taxonomic authorities split the northern harrier and the hen harrier into distinct species, others consider them conspecific. Unimproved acid grasslands are particularly important for long term carbon storage. Most commonly, the harriers are the aggressors pirating prey from owls.[13]. Unlike many raptors, hen harriers have historically been favorably regarded by farmers because they eat predators of quail eggs and mice that damage crops. This produced a contemporary geospatially digitised habitat … Where forests replace habitats that were used by hen harriers they will therefore tend to reduce overall habitat availability. Patches of woods and scrub are very common on Irish farms. [5] The harriers circle an area several times listening and looking for prey. They have a very low plant species-richness, few flowers and have a very green appearance. When the pair forms, they chose their location very carefully. Peatland habitats are also very common throughout the SPAs. [5] Immatures look like females but with less distinct barring, dark brown secondaries dark brown and less-streaked belly. These grasslands often have Cuckoo Flower, Ribwort Plantain and more grasses than just Perennial Ryegrass. Eggs (usually 4 to 6) are laid by late April or early May. [7] Harriers hunt by surprising prey while flying low to the ground in open areas, as they drift low over fields and moors. Some woodlands may be grazed by livestock or used for shelter during the winter. The female is brown above with white upper tail coverts, hence females, and the similar juveniles, are often called "ringtails". This medium-sized raptor breeds on moorland, bogs, prairies, farmland coastal prairies, marshes, grasslands, swamps and other assorted open areas. These fields have an area of 45,782 ha (about half the size of Co. Louth so this is a mammoth task. In some parts of Europe people believed that seeing a harrier perched on a house was a sign that three people would die. [8], The female gives a whistled piih-eh when receiving food from the male, and her alarm call is chit-it-it-it-it-et-it. The eggs are incubated mostly by the female for 31 to 32 days. A: The Environment Council harrier mediation process modelled how many harriers could settle and not affect land management. The term "hen harrier" refers to its former habit of preying on free-ranging fowl.[4]. They are very widespread but often occur in small patches. There are small patches of native woodland throughout the SPAs too. The hen harrier is 41–52 cm (16–20 in)[5] long with a 97–122 cm (38–48 in) wingspan. This scrub can be very important hunting grounds for Hen Harrier and may be nesting sites also. Early mortality mainly results from predation. Gorse (furze), Whitethorn, Willow and Blackthorn are commons scrub species in the SPAs. species-rich plant communities. Wet grasslands are most often grazed but may be cut for hay if the summer season is dry. These may have been reseeded over a decade ago and not heavily fertilized since, the species-richness of these grasslands may be higher. Harried to the edge of extinction in England, hen harriers need your help, before it's too late. They may be dry (with Oak, Ash, Birch or Hazel), wet (dominated by Willows, Oak, Ash or Alder), riparian (along a river), or bog woodland (on peatland). Up to 95% of the diet comprises small mammals.However, birds are hunted with some regularity as well, especially by males. The majority of these grasslands have never been reseeded and don’t receive fertilizer other than grazing animal inputs. The advisors and Hen Harrier Project staff assess the 19,222 fields farmed by the 1,578 farmers in the programme each summer to determine the habitat quality. Hen harriers have a large range and are not considered threatened globally. This produced a contemporary geospatially digitised habitat … Given a crude estimate of the area of suitable habitat, a sustainable number could be 82 pairs of hen harriers in England. It can be found in the northern parts of North America, Europe and Asia. [7] This harrier tends to be a very vocal bird while it glides over its hunting ground. Wetlands are also very common on Irish farms however mostly confined to moist, more These grasslands are called semi-natural grasslands. These peatlands are important hunting and nesting grounds for Hen Harrier. The hen harrier is vulnerable to habitat change, egg/nest predation and persecution. To minimise negative impacts on the species, sensitive planning and management of commercial forestry must be put in place. [19] However, where afforestation takes place in areas that were previously underutilised by hen harriers, it may increase the value of such areas to this species in the long-term. habitat in the Hen Harrier SPAs is grassland. Field boundaries are important components of all farms and also very important reserves of plant and animal biodiversity. Heath: this may be wet or dry heath. [6][7] It resembles other harriers in having distinct male and female plumages. The hen harrier is a Schedule 1 species. Eurasian birds move to southern Europe and southern temperate Asia. These fields have an area of 45,782 ha (about half the size of Co. Louth so this is a mammoth task. 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