Published: 11:27Monday
01 April 2019
The RSPB
is calling on people who spend time in the remote hills and moorlands of
Lancashire to look out for England’s most threatened bird of prey.
The
nature conservation charity has relaunched a hotline with the aim of finding
out where hen harriers might be nesting in the county.
In
spring, the male hen harrier performs his courtship display known as
skydancing, involving a spectacular series of swoops and somersaults. If he
attracts a female, he attempts to further impress her by passing food offerings
in mid-air.
Experts
estimate there is enough suitable habitat in England for around 300 pairs of
breeding hen harriers. But last year there were only nine successful nests in
the whole country, three of which were in Lancashire.
Hen
harriers are teetering on the verge of extinction in England because of ongoing
illegal killing. As they sometimes eat red grouse, they are often unwelcome on
moors managed for driven grouse shooting.
No comments:
Post a Comment