Plan to save endangered bird launched in the Slieve Blooms in Laois

The Slieve Bloom Mountains in Laois set the backdrop for the launch of a new plan to save the threatened Hen Harrier. 

An apt location, the Slieve Blooms is one of just six areas in Ireland chosen as Hen Harrier Special Protection Areas. The endangered bird, which is also known as the Skydancer, has declined in numbers in recent years with only an estimated 85 to 106 breeding pairs thought to be in Ireland in 2022, down from 108 to 157 seven years earlier in 2015.    

Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan launched the Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan (2024-2028) at the Slieve Bloom Mountains in Laois today.

The plan details the particular threats faced by this rare bird of prey and a series of coordinated actions across the agriculture, forestry and wind energy sectors to improve its long term prospects.

It involves strategic engagement with relevant departments and stakeholders to restore nature in important habitats for Hen Harrier. The plan also recognises the importance of landowners and farming communities in improving the habitat for the Hen Harrier and the need for supports and incentives to engage them in conservation.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Noonan said “the publication of the Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan marks a significant milestone in our collective effort to prevent the extinction of our precious Skydancer. The plight of this iconic bird highlights the broader issues we face both nationally and globally in tackling the biodiversity crisis, and its future is very much in our hands. 

It’s vital that we now focus urgently and strategically on implementation. We must seize the opportunities presented in this Plan to deliver meaningful change to the management of our landscapes and protect our most vulnerable species.  I want to extend my gratitude to those who contributed to the Plan over the many years of its development and look forward to working collaboratively with stakeholders in its delivery,” said Minister Noonan. 

The Hen Harrier is a ground nesting bird of prey that breeds in open upland bog and heather moorland, and associated habitats. It has seen significant declines in recent years, and could face extinction within the next twenty-five years if action is not taken. The Plan features clear actions to address key threats and pressures, such as land use change and climate change. 

The actions, which are to be taken both within Hen Harrier Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and outside them, include measures across agriculture, forestry and wind energy development sectors, as well as recreation in important areas for the Hen Harrier. Delivery of the Plan will involve close collaboration and partnership with a variety of stakeholders and interests in each of the SPAs and in the wider countryside. Actions will involve ongoing data gathering, monitoring and research to inform conservation, collaboration, and further development of schemes and incentives for landowners and farmers to improve the habitat for Hen Harrier.

Director General with NPWS, Niall Ó Donnchú, believes the plan will give the rare bird of prey a chance of survival. 

“This plan sets out a direction of travel to give the Hen Harrier a chance of survival. It is incumbent on us across the public sector to work together to ensure that the actions are implemented. I look forward to further engagement with government departments and agencies as we prepare for delivery of the Plan,” he said. 

The Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan was developed by an Interdepartmental Steering Group, chaired by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and in collaboration with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH), the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), and the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC). A Consultative Committee, with representation from key sectors, including forestry, agriculture, wind energy, landowners and from environmental and farming NGOs, provided insights as it was developed. A public consultation on the Plan was conducted earlier this year. Over 2,000 submissions were received, reflecting the level of public interest in the survival of Hen Harrier. The final Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan was approved by Government in July.