Hen harrier recovery should be celebrated, not denigrated

Hardly any Hen Harrier nesting attempts on English grouse moors for second year running

Natural England has finally got around to publishing the data for the 2025 Hen Harrier breeding season, which demonstrate very clear differences between areas managed for conservation and those managed as privately-owned grouse moors. Skydancing Hen Harriers. Photo by Pete Walkden The headline on Natural England’s blog (‘Numbers of nesting hen harriers in England have risen slightly in 2025‘) is technically accurate but I would argue it’s also …

Hen harrier recovery should be celebrated, not denigrated

Features October 1, 2025 - Features October 1, 2025 Hen harrier recovery should be celebrated, not denigrated The conservation of hen harriers is one of the most closely watched issues in the British countryside. It is therefore deeply frustrating that, on the very same day that Natural England published encouraging fig…