Thank you for your email.
I was interested to read the sentiments about this petition. In some ways, your correspondence reminded me of when I was young. I fondly remember my membership to YOC, the young ornithologist club growing up. Then, one of my ambitions was to be able to fly a Peregrine Falcon and enjoy the sight of the beautiful bird soaring around the countryside near where I lived then land laser like back on my outstretched arm for a small piece meat of some sort! Sadly I never really got to realise that ambition but I still enjoy the chance to see wild birds in our countryside.
I am sure that you are aware that all wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 with strong penalties for committing offences against birds of prey and other wildlife. I understand that the Government takes wildlife crime very seriously and I applaud the Government's work. Policy makers have identified raptor persecution as a national wildlife crime priority and there is a focus on a range of birds of prey including golden eagles, goshawks, peregrines and hen harriers. Having made some specific enquiries about hen harriers, I am aware that these beautiful birds were commonly found in upland and lowland Britain but were lost from mainland Britain around 1900. Populations did recover but the hen harrier has never re-established itself in the English uplands. I am advised that the last survey in 2016 found only 4 pairs of hen harriers in England. Your email does not make reference to the Hen Harrier Action plan. The plan aims to achieve:
A self-sustaining and well dispersed breeding population in England across a range of habitats including a viable population present in the Special Protected Areas designated for hen harrier.
A hen harrier population coexisting with local business interests and its presence contributing to a thriving rural economy.
You can read more about the Action Plan at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/increasing-hen-harrier-populations-in-england-action-plan. Enforcement agencies are also involved in the plan to tackle incidents of illegal persecution because persecution incidents have a catastrophic impact on the fragile population.
I will draw Ministers to your concerns about vegetation burning in the context of protecting colonies of wild birds with reference to the Hen Harrier Action Plan and thank you for contacting me. I wish you well for the rest of the summer.