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A Conservation Framework for Hen Harriers in the United Kingdom 2011

Abstract

Hen harriers have undergone large changes in distribution and abundance in the UK and are red-listed because of population declines during the period 1800–1995 (Eaton et al. 2009). The species was virtually eliminated from mainland Britain during the 19th century. During this time, populations of hen harriers persisted on Orkney and the Western Isles of Scotland. They returned to mainland Britain during the 20th century. By the mid–1970s the British population was estimated at 500 pairs, with a further 250–300 pairs in Ireland (Watson 1977).

The conservation framework presented in the report complements and extends earlier analyses of national hen harrier datasets by looking for environmental factors that correlate with, or are otherwise associated with, the distribution of breeding hen harriers in the UK, and at a regional scale within Scotland. The results contained in this report can be used to support casework advice and to help develop policy advice regarding conservation and management.

Resource type Publication

Topic category Biota

Reference date 2011·02·01

Citation
Fielding, A., Haworth, P., Whitfield, P., McLeod, D. & Riley, H. 2011. A Conservation Framework for Hen Harriers in the United Kingdom. JNCC Report No. 441, JNCC, Peterborough.

Lineage
The framework presented in this report for the hen harrier complements and extends earlier analyses of national hen harrier datasets, and is based on framework analyses developed for the golden eagle.

Responsible organisation
Communications, JNCC publisher

Limitations on public access No limitations

Use constraints Available under the Open Government Licence 3.0

Metadata date 2020·05·19

Metadata point of contact
Communications, JNCC

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