Hen Harrier Fund Raiser

The Nidderdale Raptor Study Group in collaboration with the Northern England Raptor Forum are proud to bring you this exciting fund raising opportunity to raise money for the RSPB Investigations Team to purchase satellite tags to be fitted to Hen Harriers.

The use of satellite tags has already delivered a tremendous amount of new data confirming the continuing high level of persecution on land managed for driven grouse shooting. Additionally the data has highlighted the remarkable mobility of Hen Harriers outside
of the breeding season. 

In addition to highlighting regions of high levels of persecution the satellite data also identifies previously unknown winter roosting areas. There is a saying among Hen Harrier workers – ‘Harriers bring Harriers’. By following the satellite tagged Harriers we are able to count the un-tagged birds that are also using the winter roosts, some of which were previously unknown prior to the development of satellite tags. That in turn allows researchers to better understand how Hen Harriers occupy the landscape across the northern uplands over winter. Using all of this data the statisticians are able to model the autumn / winter population more accurately.

Using the modeled winter population data and comparing it with the known breeding population gives us a better understanding of how the population is prospering overall year on year.

This information can be used by the RSPB and other conservation NGOs to lobby Government to change legislation to better protect this extremely vulnerable species from disturbance during the autumn / winter roosting season.

However, there is still much to learn about these magnificent birds and the continued deployment of satellite tags is vital to achieving this goal.

Many THANKS indeed for your continued support and helping to secure the future of this species in the UK's Skies.

For more info please visit the NERF Website: https://raptorforum.wordpress.com