Wildlife

Wild Hen Harrier Brood Size Welfare

Hen harrier brood size and chick welfare depend on prey availability, with vole cycles creating boom-bust dynamics in chick survival.

Key Facts

Hen harrier brood sizes range from 2-6 chicks depending on prey availability
Vole cycle peaks produce larger broods with higher chick survival rates
Males provision multiple nests simultaneously, with welfare consequences for chick provisioning
Partial brood mortality in food-scarce years involves chick starvation
Female hen harriers are larger than males and provision chicks directly from deliveries

Welfare Considerations

Hen harrier chick welfare depends on prey provisioning by males across potentially multiple nests. Food-scarce years produce starvation of smaller chicks in large broods. The welfare and conservation challenges are inseparable - each chick that starves is both a welfare cost and a population loss in a critically small population.

What You Can Do

Support organisations monitoring hen harrier brood welfare in Scotland and England
Donate to nest protection schemes that monitor provisioning and chick welfare
Advocate for upland management that maintains vole habitat supporting harrier prey