THE RAPTORS

Hen harriers were first recorded at Langholm in the 1980s and for several years there were between 2 and 5 pairs. The hen harrier is the qualifying feature of the Newcastleton Hills SPA and the site is of international importance for this species. Other large predatory birds which regularly breed at Langholm include the peregine and the raven.

Numbers of hen harriers rose rapidly during the Joint Raptor Study but declined back to earlier levels afterwards. Some changes in harrier numbers and breeding success are caused by changes in vole and meadow pipit numbers which are their principal prey and which influence where they settle on the moor in spring.

Numbers of hen harrier 'pairs' breeding at Langholm (red line). In some cases male harriers paired with more than one female, so here each female is counted as a pair. Green bar chart shows number of harrier chicks fledged at Langholm since 1992 (right axis).

During the project the number of hen harriers breeding is being recorded by watching for displaying males from a series of vantage points. Harrier chicks are counted and ringed. In 2008 there were two successful pairs which raised 9 chick between them.

Food is provided to all known territories from late-March until the incubation period begins and then continued when the hen harrier chicks hatch, in an attempt to divert hen harriers away from predating on red grouse chicks. This method, which was trialed in 1998 and 1999, reduced by up to 86% in the numbers of red grouse chicks fed to hen harrier brood. It did not, however, lead to an increase in grouse stocks.

In 2008, in addition to the hen harriers, a pair of peregrines raised 2 chicks, a pair of merlins raised 5, and 10 pairs of buzzards all raised young. There were also short-eared owls on the area and probably 2 pairs bred.