Latin name: Circus cyaneus

The Hen Harrier is a typical harrier-shape bird with V-shaped wings. The male is strikingly pale in colour (white and grey) but with black wing tips. Females and young birds (collectively known as ringtails) are brownish but share the male's white rump.

The Hen Harrier breeds on low hills between April and August. Hen Harrier nests are found in a wide variety of upland habitats but in Ireland, the most frequently used nesting habitat appears to be pre-thicket second rotation conifer plantation. Hen Harriers hunt small birds (e.g. meadow pipit) and small mammals (e.g. bank vole). The male is responsible for most of the hunting during the breeding season. Male Hen Harriers forage in a variety of upland open and plantation habitats including (in order of preference): new plantations, rough grassland, heath/blanket bog, 2nd rotation pre-thicket plantations, post-thicket plantations and improved grassland.

Large-scale afforestation in the 1950s lead to a recovery in the Irish Hen Harrier population. The newly-established conifer plantations proved to be useful nesting and hunting habitat for Hen Harriers because they provided protection from predators and they held increased numbers of prey.

Since the 1970s, however, numbers of Hen Harrier breeding pairs declined again. The decline has been attributed to: reclamation of upland open habitats (such as rough grassland, scrub and heath) for agriculture; and maturing of the large-scale forests planted from around the 1950s. Once a forest grows to form a closed canopy, it is no longer suitable as a foraging and nesting habitat for Hen Harrier. The birds will move on to newly-established stands.

The main threats to Hen Harriers in this country are thought to be loss of breeding habitat, developments in upland areas and persecution. The impact on Hen Harrier populations of wind farm development in uplands is unclear, and continues to be the subject of debate.

The Hen Harrier is one of Ireland and Europe's rarest birds of prey. As a result, it is a protected species under Irish and European law. Persecution and, more recently, habitat loss have lead to a marked decline in the numbers of breeding pairs in Ireland over the past 200 years.

Coillte recognises the nature conservation value of the Hen Harrier and aims to support national efforts to conserve this bird of prey by adopting a biodiversity action plan for this species which includes forest management guidelines for Coillte properties that are important for breeding Hen Harriers. In addition, a Coillte/National Parks and Wildlife Working Group was established, to address the issue of Hen Harrier conservation with particular reference to forest management and wind farm development, with the aim of agreeing a set of best practice guidelines.

1. Collate available information on location of important Hen Harrier areas. Maps of areas holding nationally important numbers of breeding Hen Harriers has been obtained from NPW (see 8, below).
2. For Coillte properties located within important Hen Harrier areas, open habitats and poorly-grown conifer stands that are important nesting and foraging habitat will be retained and managed as biodiversity areas, with the aim of enhancing their habitat value:
   a. Ecological surveys have identified the important Hen Harrier sites. Appropriate, site-specific management actions are outlined in biodiversity management plans for these areas,
   b. Forest management guidelines are presented in the full report of the Biodiversity Action Plan.
3. Hen Harrier shows a preference for nesting in pre-thicket second rotation forest stands. Restructuring of large, upland forest properties in the Coillte estate will be especially mindful of the requirement for young reforestation in important Hen Harrier areas. Guidelines on restructuring large forests are available for Coillte properties.
4. Every effort will be made to protect nest site locations during forest operations:
   a. Staff in Coillte will consult with NPW on a 4-yearly cycle to discuss forestry operations planned by Coillte, including impacts on Hen Harrier,
   b. Unforeseen problems are dealt with as they arise, through liaison between Coillte and NPW staff.
5. Developments (e.g. windfarm development) in which Coillte is involved will address the issue of Hen Harrier conservation on a site-by-site basis through the Statutory EIA procedure and through formal liaison with NPW.
6. Training and information on Hen Harrier will be provided to Coillte staff working in important Hen Harrier areas.
7. Coillte will continue to liaise with NPW and national experts in relation to Hen Harrier conservation.
8. Coillte will update this Action Plan as new information on the location, ecology and requirements of the Hen Harrier come to light.