Time has almost run out for Slieve Bloom's iconic bird of prey

TIME has almost run out for Slieve Bloom's iconic bird of prey, the hen harrier, Birdwatch Ireland said in a statement issued this week.

The captivating skydance of the Hen Harrier has been woven into the fabric of the Slieve Bloom Mountains for generations, awakening a sense of admiration in all lucky enough to witness it.

“Unfortunately,” says Birdwatch Ireland, “the disappearance of the Hen Harrier is happening before our eyes. The results of the 2022 National Hen Harrier Survey show that time has almost run out for these iconic birds of prey in Ireland, and that the species is now faring even worse than the Curlew and the Corncrake – species often held up as prime examples of biodiversity loss in Ireland.”

Since the last national survey, the Hen Harrier has declined by one-third in just seven years, with only 85-106 breeding pairs believed to remain in the country.

The survey stated that there had been a 25% decline in the Slieve Bloom population over the seven years since the 2015 survey. The 2015 survey recorded 11-12 pairs.

Speaking to The Midland Tribune, Ricky Whelan, Biodiversity Officer with Offaly County Council, pointed out that the Slieve Blooms have been one of the bird's strongholds in the country for many years. "The population number of breeding pairs fluctuates from year to year. In the early 2000s there were 10ish pairs breeding across the blanket bog and edge habitats up the mountain. In recent years the number has hovered around eight pairs annually.”

Birdwatch Ireland points out that too much industrial forestry is the principal reason for the decline in the Slieve Blooms. Hen Harriers love the open blanket bog of the hill-tops but it would seem this area is dwindling rather than expanding because of encroaching conifer forestry (predominantly sitka spruce). There are in fact a lot of sitka spruce saplings (escapees from the main plantations) dotting the open hillside; and there seems to be no effort at all to remove these or to curtail the plantations' growth.

Without strong and swift intervention the Hen Harrier faces the very real prospect of extinction in Ireland in just 25 years, its skydance and chattering call no longer gracing our uplands. However, the experts say, there is hope, pointing out that as the Hen Harrier is one of our best-studied birds, we know what we need to do to save it.

“We know,” continued the Birdwatch statement, “that we need a strong and fit-for-purpose national plan to save the Hen Harrier and the other species that depend on the same habitats. To date, BirdWatch Ireland staff have invested over 230 hours in fighting for a more robust Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan that will save the species. However, this work is only just beginning. As we move to the implementation phase of the plan, we need to focus our energies on ensuring a fit-for-purpose plan that actually delivers benefits for Hen Harriers and the upland landscapes on which they depend. BirdWatch Ireland will advocate for a strong Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan and call for the most ambitious actions to save this species, as well as monitor the implementation of the plan.

“In parallel to this, we will advocate for and continue to undertake Hen Harrier surveying and monitoring work so that we can build on our knowledge of this species and inform targeted conservation measures.”

To do all of this, they need the public's help and, with that in mind, have launched a Hen Harrier Appeal. The conservation organisation also plans to purchase specialised monitoring equipment to allow it to expand its surveying and monitoring work to understudied areas outside of the SPA (Special Protection Area) network, where over half of the breeding Hen Harrier population nests. It will also advocate for appropriate measures to retain winter stubbles and important foraging habitats for Hen Harriers; and will develop efficient and accurate Hen Harrier survey and monitoring methods to allow nest location and monitoring in a non-invasive way.

BirdWatch Ireland will review afforestation policies and advocate for improved afforestation and forest management planning to reduce the negative effects to Hen Harriers associated with habitat loss and disturbances. It will create and deliver informative Hen Harrier communications materials for the public which serve to inform and inspire action.

Donations to the appeal will help the conservation organisation achieve all of this. The donations can be done through the BirdWatch website. The target is €40,000 and €17,430 has been raised so far.