Wildlife Welfare

Wild Marsh Harrier Population Recovery

The welfare and conservation story of marsh harrier recovery in the UK after near-extinction.

Key Facts

Marsh harriers were reduced to a single breeding female in the UK in 1971 due to persecution and pesticides
Recovery through legal protection and wetland restoration has brought numbers to over 500 pairs
Marsh harriers are ground-nesters vulnerable to flooding and predation during breeding
Illegal persecution - poisoning and trapping - continues to be a welfare concern for recovering raptors

Welfare Considerations

Marsh harrier recovery is a conservation success story, but illegal persecution represents ongoing welfare harm to individual birds. Maintaining this recovery requires continued wetland creation, legal protection enforcement, and public reporting of illegal raptor persecution.

What You Can Do

Report any suspected raptor persecution to the police and RSPB immediately
Support wetland creation schemes that provide nesting habitat for marsh harriers
Visit reserves with marsh harrier viewing hides during breeding season - from a distance