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Birdwatch Ireland/Mike Brown

Opinion The Hen Harrier is the canary in the coal mine for upland biodiversity in Ireland

Ciaran Brennan of Environmental Pillar says the beautiful bird, known as the skydancer is being sacrificed in the middle of a biodiversity crisis.

LAST UPDATE | 19 Feb 2024

IT IS NEARLY five years since Dáil Éireann voted upon and declared both a National Climate and Biodiversity Emergency.

Central to April 2023’s Citizens’ Assembly Report on Biodiversity Loss recommendations was the need for the State to take prompt, decisive and urgent action to address biodiversity loss and restoration.

In a report last December, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Environment and Climate Action recognised the importance of the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly to halt biodiversity loss and restore our degraded natural landscapes, fauna and wildlife and stressed the need for action.

We are now starting our fourth National Biodiversity Action Plan – the first was published in 2002, the latest just last month. 

Time to get real

And yet, despite all of the reports, plans and declarations, we start the year with the stark and grim warning that the Hen Harrier could be extinct in Ireland within 25 years.

We are in danger of seeing an iconic bird of prey disappearing from the Irish landscape before our eyes and on our watch. It feels like the Government is “quietly quitting on this iconic bird”, Birdwatch Ireland’s Head of Advocacy Oonagh Duggan recently told Morning Ireland.

Hen harrier7060 Mike Brown(1) Birdwatch Ireland / Mike Brown Birdwatch Ireland / Mike Brown / Mike Brown

And while the Government quietly quits, nothing screams ‘biodiversity crisis’ like the loss of an iconic and once healthy species. Unfortunately, the potential extinction of the Hen Harrier is not an exaggeration or hyperbole.

According to the latest survey released in recent weeks which highlights that the Hen Harrier population in the Republic of Ireland has plummeted to 85 – 106 pairs in 2022, a decline of 30% since 2015 and of 59% since the first national survey (1998-2000).

Why is it under threat?

The Hen Harrier, known as the ‘skydancer’ for its spectacular aerial courtship displays breeds in open upland habitats, nesting in scrub, heather and woodland.

A key reason for the collapse in its population is the loss of heather and grassland habitats in our uplands due to forestry, wind energy development and agricultural intensification. Since the 1960s, over half of the land surface area of the six Hen Harrier Special Protection Areas (SPAs) have been afforested, including on peatlands and formerly important open habitats for Hen Harrier.

The 2010 national Hen Harrier breeding survey identified 313 wind turbines within surveyed 10km squares. Almost one quarter of the 10km squares that contain the known winter range of Hen Harrier in Ireland overlap with wind energy developments.

The impact on the Hen Harrier population from the failure to properly regulate the forestry and wind energy sector in particular is well understood and in response to concern from the European Commission the Irish government initiated a Threat Response Plan to address the decline in the species in 2013. Over a decade later, the government’s plan is open for public consultation.

The Hen Harrier is the canary in the coal mine for upland biodiversity in Ireland. The Sky Dancer could disappear from our skies in the coming decades unless the government takes effective action to protect its habitat from forestry and wind energy developments.

Unfortunately, many working to protect the Hen Harrier say that the plan as it exists has been appropriated by the forestry and wind energy sectors and will fail to restore the species unless guarantees are given that no further afforestation and wind farm development will happen in the Hen Harriers remaining holds and that significant habitat restoration occurs. 

BirdWatch Ireland, An Taisce and the Environmental Pillar are concerned by the actions listed in this plan which, due to being vague and not sufficiently targeted, will fail to protect the Hen Harrier from the key pressures of forestry and wind energy. The plan fails to outline a clear plan to restore the species habitat, which essentially make it impossible to measure the adequacy of the plan and mean it will not deliver for Hen Harrier, they say.

To save this beautiful bird, the Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan must be ambitious and fit for purpose, according to the three organisations which have launched a campaign to restore Ireland’s Hen Harrier population.

They say any plan must:

  • Protect all nationally important Hen Harrier breeding and wintering grounds from afforestation, forest management activities, wind energy development and other pressures.
  • Restore habitat across all nationally important breeding and wintering sites using clear restoration targets and timelines.
  • Guarantee long-term support for farmers through well-funded results-based schemes across all nationally important breeding and wintering grounds.

We are urging people all across the country to make a submission to the draft Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan public consultation letting the National Parks and Wildlife Service know that the Hen Harrier is important to them and supporting their three key asks.

The Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan clearly is a litmus test for the Government’s new National Biodiversity Action Plan and the wider commitment to genuinely address the biodiversity and climate crises we face.

If we are serious about protecting and restoring biodiversity, then putting in place a credible and workable plan to safeguard a threatened iconic species and restore the habitats it depends on is essential.

Ciaran Brennan is communications officer with Environmental Pillar which is a group of 32 national independent environmental NGOs. Submissions can be emailed to henharrierconsultation@npws.gov.ie or in writing to: Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan Consultation, Agri-Ecology Unit, National Parks and Wildlife. Submissions must be made before 5 pm on Tuesday, 20 February.

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    Mute grace kelly
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    Dec 2nd 2013, 10:31 PM

    So sad and may he rest in peace. Scary how many elderly people have been involved in fatal crashes over the past year…

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    Mute Dave Dson
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    Dec 3rd 2013, 12:43 AM

    As was Grace Kelly.

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    Mute George Vladisavljevic
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    Dec 3rd 2013, 5:45 AM

    Sick puppy.

    Totally uncalled for. May the poor man rest in peace and condolences to his family and friends.

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    Mute breda clarke
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    Dec 3rd 2013, 7:40 AM

    So sad that a life was lost and while it doesn’t clearly state his driving was the cause of the accident, I do believe that persons over a certain age should be assessed every two years on their driving ability for their sake and others on the road. R.I.P x

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    Mute Elaine Cassin
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    Dec 3rd 2013, 7:26 AM

    They say young drivers are bad, they need to put an age limit on driving, old people are a death trap on the roads, it’s prob a good thing that other car wasn’t a young family he could have wiped out

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    Mute Gary Harding
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    Dec 3rd 2013, 9:49 AM

    Well said Elaine!! im a proffessional driver and i see more bad driving from elderly everyday, they should sit there test yearly after 65 no excuses its going on too long!

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    Mute Brian Ward
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    Dec 3rd 2013, 10:39 AM

    Maybe you should find out what happened first before you jump to conclusions about bad driving.

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    Mute Jenster
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    Dec 3rd 2013, 11:09 AM

    As my Granny used to say, ‘Trouble on someone’s door’. Terribly sad news for his family. A few have commented already around the age of the victim. In fairness I have seen all age groups driving dangerously on our roads. But at the same time, it is a fact that our spatial awareness diminishes as we grow older and that is a risk on the road. This is why we don’t allow 10yr driving licences over a certain age and that renewals must be accompanied by a doctors report where necessary. I’m not saying age was a causing factor in this poor mans death, but it could be, depending on what caused the accident. In the same way when you hear about a younger person dying in a car crash, there is often an assumption of speed involved. Hence higher insurance premiums. The bottom line is that we still have shocking road death statistics for all age groups. This doesn’t seem to be changing. That is the biggest tragedy of all.

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    Mute Gary Harding
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    Dec 3rd 2013, 11:23 AM

    Totally agree jenster terrible tragedy and also i was speaking generally of older drivers for what i personally see everyday and what should be done to prevent more of this tragedy happen again!!

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    Mute Jenster
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    Dec 3rd 2013, 12:14 PM

    Absolutely Gary. And if you are on the road working each day, you will naturally be exposed to the driving patterns of different age groups so you are certainly in a position to be able to comment on it from your experience. I know of an older lady who took the side off a car driving up a street (as well as her own) but I’m not sure she was aware she had done it. Even speaking to her days or weeks after. She left the scene so I assumed she didn’t realise until the Garda knocked on her door giving her a right fright! She was off the road then. Not because she was forced mind you but because her confidence wouldn’t let her. She was scared by what she had done unknowingly. The confusion and lack of spatial awareness that comes with older age is very scary. Never mind throwing a car into the mix…

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    Mute Jennifer O'Suillibhain
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    Dec 3rd 2013, 5:10 PM

    As an American who has driven that road when coming over to visit it is a tough road. Please allow me the chance to apologize to everyone who went around me because I went so slow but with many roads you need to be on your toes and aware of your surroundings at all times. My deepest prayers and thoughts with the families and I am sure God is watching over him with love.

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    Mute mumatwork
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    Dec 3rd 2013, 10:20 AM

    He was still somebody’s father and grandfather!
    May he rest in peace

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    Mute Eric Davies
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    Dec 3rd 2013, 12:45 PM

    while it very sad that this man has lost his life, i have to go along with other poster here in respect of elderly drivers. i see elderly drivers everyday who can bearly walk or read a newspaper in front of them ,yet they get into a car and drive. if they have problems walking how can their legs be strong enough to operate a brake pedel in an emergency, let alone their reaction times. you will also see elderly drivers ‘park ‘ in the middle of the street because they cant monouver the car into a space due to failing spacial awarness, the biggest problem is in rural areas, there is not a regular or decent public transport system and little or no hospital transport for them to use. whats the point of giving the over 70′s a free traval pass then not providing the transport links?.
    driving licences should be reviewed every 2 years once you reach retirement age (65) and every 12 months once you reach 75 yrs old, as part of the review a full eyesight test should be carried out and also a ‘simulated’ reaction test . only if you pass these tests should you them be allowed to drive.

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    Mute frank griffin
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    Dec 3rd 2013, 6:07 PM

    65 is young and my eye sight is perfect had my eyes tested 2 weeks ago and i could read the bottom line i would concider it an insult to 65 year olds to have to do some test just to keep those who believe that 65 is old speak from experience or shut up

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    Mute Eric Davies
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    Dec 3rd 2013, 7:06 PM

    frank , im in my mid fifties myself and have eyetests every year, its not an insult at all its a precaution, there are a lot of people out there driving who dont bother with eyetests, using the same glasses that they have had for years, so long as they can see the telly they think its grand. eyesight and reactions deteriate as we get older most of the time those changes are small and we dont really notice, at least with regular check ups you know if you were safe to drive or not . when you have your regular eye check up they could issue you with some sort of certificate to say you were ok to drive (using glasses if required) you then forward this on to your insurance compony ar local authority and your covered for the next 2 years. better safe than sorry frank.

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