Scottish hen harriers tagged

This video is called [male] Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus) sitting on the heath.

From Wildlife Extra:

Hen harriers tagged in new conservation project

Scottish hen harriers are being tracked via satellite tags so scientists can better understand the threats these rare birds face and identify the places they are most at risk.

The satellite tags transmit the locations of the harriers on a regular basis, and members of the public will be able to follow the movements of two individuals on a new website. For security reasons the information available online will be displayed with a two week delay.

Hen harriers used to be widespread in the British uplands but were pushed to the brink of extinction come 1900. Since then, numbers have slowly increased but there are still only around 505 breeding pairs in Scotland.

Bea Ayling, manager of the Hen Harrier LIFE+ Project, said: “Hen harriers suffered 20 per cent declines across Scotland between 2004 and 2010 and urgent action is needed to help conserve this species. Illegal killing by humans remains the main problem for these birds despite them having full legal protection for many years. This is because their usual diet of small birds and voles may also include red grouse, thus bringing them into conflict with gamekeepers. Several hen harriers have disappeared in recent months in northern England and one bird, named “Annie”, was found shot dead on moorland in south-west Scotland earlier this year.

“By fitting satellite tags to harriers we can track them accurately to see where they go and find out which areas they’re getting into trouble. We can also gain valuable information on breeding sites, nest locations and, should the worst happen, be able to locate and recover the bodies of dead harriers far more easily. The timely recovery of dead birds may also assist the police and prosecutors in bringing the perpetrators of crimes to justice.”