Hen harriers are one of Scotland’s rarest birds of prey. The Heads Up for Harriers Project would like anyone who is lucky enough to see one to report sightings to help their future conservation.
The project is led by the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime Scotland (PAW Scotland) and encourages people to report sightings, as well as trialling nest and roost cameras, and encouraging land managers to retain hen harrier-friendly habitat.
Professor Des Thompson, Chair of the Heads Up for Harriers group, said: “Numbers are low across much of mainland Scotland so the more people looking out for these threatened birds the better. This will help us build a complete picture of how hen harriers are doing across the country.”
Report your sightings
Please report hen harrier sightings, either by email or by calling 07767 671973. Try to include the following information:
- Location of sighting (a six-figure grid reference if possible)
- Time and date
- Sex of the bird
- Any notes on behaviour
Hen harrier sightings are mapped on the Heads Up for Harriers webpage. However, these maps are not detailed enough to compromise the specific location of the sightings.