Skye hen harrier chicks found crushed

5 hen harrier chicks have been found crushed dead in their nest on moorland destined for a windfarm development on the Isle of Skye. The chicks, which are a protected species, were healthy in the middle of last month according to local monitors, but were found dead when they returned to check the nest last week. The incident has been reported to the Northern Constabulary who are investigating whether a wildlife crime has been committed or not. The police said that it was too early to tell whether the chicks had died from natural causes, poison, or been deliberately crushed. Post mortems on the bodies are currently being carried out.

Bob McMillan, a local expert on birds, particularly birds of prey on Skye, found the remains near Edinbane in the north of the island. As reported in the Scotsman, Bob said he believed the chicks had been stomped on and killed. He had been monitoring the nest since the eggs hatched and thinks the chicks died soon after his last visit a fortnight ago.

Hen harriers are extremely rare in the UK with only 630 pairs in the wild, most in Scotland. According to studies carried out for the RSPB, they are conspicuous by their absence on grouse moors which should be prime habitat and are known to have been persecuted in the past because they eat young grouse. However reports of persecution in the west of Scotland, where there is relatively less grouse shooting, are rare.

The RSPB last week revealed that the number of crimes reported against birds of prey in the UK last year rose 40% last year to an all-time high. Some 34 birds of prey were shot, while 49 were poisoned, with gamekeepers blamed by the RSPB for persecution of protected species. However this Skye case remains unresolved at the moment and we will provide updates when the Police test results are known.