Endangered hen harriers to be bred in captivity for first time and released on to Salisbury Plain

Hen harriers are UK birds of prey

(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

An endangered bird species will be bred in captivity and released on to Salisbury Plain in southern England.

Conservationists are attempting to revive the population of hen harriers following huge persecutions in recent years.

Six males and six females have been brought from France and Spain to breed in pairs, following a collaboration with Natural England and the International Centre for Birds of Prey.

The centre aims to release at least 100 birds over the next five years.

Hen harriers have not bred in southern England for decades and this is the first time they are reproducing in captivity.

By 1900 in England and Wales, the chunky beaked species were wiped out, but they were repopulated by the 1950s before facing more persecution - mainly because its prey includes red grouse, which is a lucrative gamebird.

Scientists believe they can thrive again in the English countryside if they are not being hunted.

Younger hen harriers were taken in by overseas volunteers in France and two additional birds are being brought in from Spain. The birds will begin to breed next spring, although the new pairs may not produce enough chicks for release into the wild until 2024.

A senior adviser from Natural England, Simon Lee said: “The southern reintroduction project is an excellent example of international collaboration to drive species recovery. Working together, we hope to create a sustainable population, which supports the long-term revival of this much-loved species.

“Hen harriers are a magnificent bird of prey, which sadly face many challenges including persecution and habitat loss. We are committed to driving down persecution to ensure permanent recovery of the species.”

Hen harrier lives in open areas with low vegetation and their natural habitats are farmland and grassland. Their feathers are black, grey and white and are known for their chunky, hooked beak.

In England, they can only be found breeding in the north in moorlands - uncultivated hill lands.

Salisbury Plain is under the Ministry of Defence, where the birds should have freedom from persecution. Natural England has spent four years talking to farmers and game shoots in surrounding Wiltshire.

Lee said: “We were nervous when we started to talk to people about it because of the history of persecution and the dynamic between conservationists and the shooting industry but we were very, very pleasantly surprised by the reaction.”

“The overwhelming response was actively supportive. The one thing harriers have no impact on whatsoever is typical pheasant and red-legged partridge shoots.”