Peak District breeding programme reports good year for peregrine falcon and other birds of prey species

A programme to boost bird of prey numbers in the Peak District is showing signs of success, says the national park authority.
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The Peak District Bird of Prey Initiative (BOPI) has just published its interim report for 2020, which notes encouraging breeding developments for several raptor species in the moorland areas of the Peak District.

The project has been running since 2011, and involves landowners, gamekeepers, raptor experts, and conservation bodies.

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Sarah Fowler, chief executive of the national park, said: “On the whole, it has been a positive year of progress and collaboration which saw both peregrine falcon nests and numbers of fledged young double from 2019 numbers in the Dark Peak uplands.

A Peak District breeding programme is showing encouraging signs in populations of peregrine falcon and other raptor species.A Peak District breeding programme is showing encouraging signs in populations of peregrine falcon and other raptor species.
A Peak District breeding programme is showing encouraging signs in populations of peregrine falcon and other raptor species.

"There remains no room for complacency, as occupied territories remain below target for several key species. However, there are encouraging signs for the future.”

Peregrine falcons had their best year in a decade, with six known nests resulting in 14 fledged young. It is the first year when all known nesting attempts have been successful. The previous maximum was three per year.

Seven out of nine goshawk nests produced 16-17 young birds, surpassing last year’s 12 young from eight nests.

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Merlin showed improvement from 11 nests and 41 fledged last year to 15 known successful nests this year and an estimated 50-plus young.

Hen harrier, having bred for the last two years in the Peak District, had been spotted early on in the year but no breeding attempts recorded.

Similarly, short-eared owl breeding attempts were elusive with only a few juveniles seen but no nests discovered or young ringed. Experts say a lack of voles in the study area may mean the owls settled where there was more food.

Despite the success of the programme, the report also includes reminders about the threat to bird populations.

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Sarah said: “Several incidents of bird of prey poisoning, egg and chick theft and shooting across the national park this year are currently under police investigation.

"Gamekeepers in the Dark Peak also helped catch an alleged egg thief. Protecting peregrines from a potential theft was a target of the project for this year.”

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