Anja Murray: Hen harriers will be extinct here in the next 25 years if we don't change things now

The hen harrier is no longer a common sight here and is one of Ireland’s rarest and most vulnerable birds of prey

Hen harrier looking for food in its natural habitat

The courtship dance of the hen harrier is pure display. The male flies high over open ground in the uplands before plummeting almost to the ground in a series of somersaults, corkscrews, and twists, showing off his stamina and agility. Another aspect of hen harriers’ courtship rituals is the sharing of food. Males hover high in the air, dangling a freshly-caught vole above an intended female to catch her attention. He then drops the food, and in response, the female flips over, now upside down, and catches the vole in her talons, mid-flight. The exchange offers proof of his ability to catch food, that he is generous, and is also an act of bonding between prospecting pairs.

These sky-dances are one of the most spectacular happenings in the uplands of Ireland during March and April. But now the hen harrier is no longer a common sight here, with unenviable status as one of Ireland’s rarest and most vulnerable birds of prey. It is even more threatened than corncrakes and curlews. A plan currently being prepared by the Government will decide the fate of these spectacular high fliers across their traditional nesting and foraging grounds. Many have been raising concerns that the plan does not contain the measures needed to prevent hen harriers from extinction in Ireland.