The Hen Harrier

by Donald Watson

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  ——— Further early fledging of Hen Harriers. Scottish Birds 7. 1972–73

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  Mumford, R. E. pers. comm. (Winter Roosts of Marsh Hawks in Indiana.) (per Dr K. W. Brewster)

  Nethersole-Thompson, B. pers. comm. (Notes on Hen Harriers breeding in East Ross-shire.)

  Nethersole-Thompson, D. pers. comm. (Notes on Collectors and Hen Harriers in 19th and 20th centuries.)

  ——— Observations on Nesting Hen Harriers. Oologist Record 13. 1933

  ——— and Watson, A. The Cairngorms. 1974

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  ——— The Peregrine Population in Great Britain in 1971. Bird Study 1972

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  Rouwenhorst, J. pers. comm. (Hen Harriers in the Netherlands.)

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  ——— Over het Voorkomen van Kiekendieven in Flevoland in 1971 en 1972. Limosa 46. 1973

  ——— pers. comm. (On the Hen Harrier in the Netherlands.)

  ——— Buurma, L. S. and Bossenbroek, P. H. A Comparative Study of Hunting Behaviour of Wintering Hen Harriers Circus cyaneus and Marsh Harriers Circus aeruginosus. Ardea 63. 1975

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  ——— pers. comm. (On the Black Harrier.) (per Dr K. W. Brewster)

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  ——— Birds of Moor and Mountain. 1972

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  ——— pers. comm. (On the Hen Harrier in Orkney etc.)

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  Tables

  Table 1 Harriers of the World: Wing Lengths and Weights*

  Table 2 Hen Harrier Prey Identified in Britain and Ireland

  MAMMALS

  Mole Talpa europea

  Pygmy Shrew Sorex minutus

  Rabbit Oryctogalus cuniculus

  Brown Hare Lepus europaeus

  Mountain Hare Lepus timidus

  Orkney Vole Microtus arvalis orcadensis

  Short-tailed Vole Microtus agrestis

  Water Vole Arvicola amphibius

  Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus

  House Mouse Mus musculus

  Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus

  Hedgehog Erinaeus europaeus

  REPTILES

  Lizard Lacerta sp

  Slow-worm Angius fragilis

  Adder Vipera berus

  AMPHIBIANS (Batrachia)

  Common Frog

  FISH Species not identified

  BIRDS

  Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

  Teal Anas crecca

  [Wigeon Anas penelope: identification probable (possibly Mallard), full-grown bird attacked, lifted and dropped]

  Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus (young)

  Merlin Falco columbarius (young)

  Kestrel Falco tinnunculus (young)

  Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus

  Ptarmigan Lagopus mutus

  Black Grouse Lyrurus tetrix (young)

  Partridge Perdix perdix

  Pheasant Phasianus colchicus

  Water Rail Rallus aquaticus

  Corncrake Crex crex

  Moorhen Gallinula chloropus

  Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus

  Lapwing Vanellus vanellus

  Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria

  Snipe Gallinago gallinago

  Woodcock Scolopax rusticola (young)

  Curlew Numenius arquata (young)

  Redshank Tringa totanus

  Dunlin Calidris alpina

  Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus (young)

  Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus (young)

  Skylark Alauda arvensis

  Wren Troglodytes troglodytes

  Fieldfare Turdus pilaris

  Song Thrush Turdus philomelos

  Blackbird Turdus merula

  Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe

  Stonechat Saxicola torquata

  Whinchat Saxicola rubetra

  Robin Erithacus rubecula (young)

  Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia (young)

  Whitethroat Sylvia communis (young)

  Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus or Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita (young)

  [Dunnock Prunella modularis identification probable]

  Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis

  Starling Sturnus vulgaris

  Greenfinch Carduelis chloris

  Linnet Acanthis cannabina

  Twite Acanthis flavirostris

  Redpoll Acanthis flammea

  Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula

  Crossbill Loxia curvirostra

  Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs

  Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra

  Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella

  Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus

  Snow Bunting Plectophenax nivalis

  House Sparrow Passer domesticus

  Domestic Fowl
(young)

  Domestic Duck (young)

  Eggs of ground-nesting birds

  BEETLES

  Dor beetles:

  Geotrupes sylvaticus

  Geotrupes sterconarius

  Ground beetles:

  Carabus catenulatus

  [Carabus pterostichus (Identification probable)]

  Click beetles (Elaterids):

  Corymbites cupreus

  Campylus lineatus

  Great Diving Beetle Dytiscus marginalis

  Weevils Otiorrhynchus sp

  MOTHS

  Emperor Saturnia pavonia (cocoon)

  Table 3 Analyses for Organo-chlorine Residues Results expressed in parts per million net weight. (T = Trace)

  (per A. A. Bell, The Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon)

  Table 4 Aggression of Adults in Relation to Nesting Success

  Table 5 First-Year and Older Birds Recovered Distantly

  Table 6 First-Year and Older Birds Recovered Distantly Sept.—April

  Table 7 First-Year and Older Birds Recovered Distantly May–August

  Table 8 Mortality of Hen Harriers after Fledging (from Ringing Recoveries)

  Table 9 Prey Identified at Nest from a Hide

  Table 10 Details of Eggs and Young at Hen Harrier Nests on Moorland and Forest Study Area in south-west Scotland from 1959 to 1975

  Table 11 Average Number of Young Fledged per Nest with Eggs in Moorland and Forest Sites

  Table 12 Number and Percentage of Nests in which Eggs Hatched and Young Fledged

  Table 13 Number and Percentage of Young Hatched and Fledged at Nests from which Complete Data Available

  Table 14 Failed Nests (with eggs or young)

  Table 15 Details of Failed Nests with Eggs or Young, with some Reason for Failure

  Table 16 Analysis of Eggs from Nest No.4

  Total Chlorinated residues c. 2.7, 2.1 and 1.8.

  (per A. A. Bell, The Institute of Terrestrial Ecology,

  Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon)

  Tables 17–23 summarise prey identifications made in the breeding season in Areas A,B,C and E. Because the findings from prey remains and pellets are subject to different biases they have been treated separately.