A tagged hen harrier, Red, vanished near Hamsterley Forest. Suspicion of foul play arises after her tag stopped transmitting.
She left her nest and flew to England. Her tag showed she rested near Hamsterley Forest on January 15. The tag stopped transmitting data soon after, and a search found nothing.
The RSPB says Red’s vanishing hurts the hen harrier population because every single bird matters to the species. The tag would transmit even if Red died, so its silence suggests foul play by humans.
This incident looks like other hen harrier disappearances, and it likely happened on driven grouse moors. The RSPB demands action to protect these birds and wants grouse moor licensing to ensure legal operations. This could safeguard hen harriers.
Another hen harrier, Sia, vanished nearby back in 2022. Her tag worked fine before she disappeared, too. The circumstances surrounding her disappearance were suspicious.
If you see a dead or hurt bird of prey, call the police at 101. Also, fill out RSPB’s online form. Have info on someone hurting birds of prey? Call the RSPB’s hotline anonymously at 0300 999 0101.