Natural England and partners, including the RSPB, have recorded 119 hen harrier chicks fledging successfully from nests across uplands in County Durham, Cumbria, Lancashire, Northumberland and Yorkshire in 2022 – a record number.

This was the first time in over 100 years that more than 100 hen harriers were added to the English population, showing real progress in efforts to protect and restore their numbers.

Hen harriers were once found across upland and lowland Britain including throughout many English counties. However after 1830 they became exceptionally rare breeding birds in England due to persecution, which was made illegal in the 1954 but continues in some places today. The hen harrier now is one of England’s rarest breeding birds of prey.

Hen harriers are one of our most distinctive birds with a characteristic owl-like face and stiff facial feathers that direct sound toward their ears to enable them to hunt more effectively.

Natural England chair Tony Juniper said:

It is very encouraging to see the progress made this year on the recovery of this majestic species, tipping the numbers fledged to more than 100 for the first time in over a century.

It is testament to the dedication of the volunteers, landowners and staff from all our partner organisations who work so hard to protect, support and monitor these vulnerable birds.

Despite this year’s success, we clearly still have a long road to travel to see hen harrier numbers truly recover to where they would naturally be without illegal persecution – with many birds sadly still going missing. We are committed to continuing to work with our partners to drive down persecution rates and achieve a permanent long-term recovery.

This is the sixth successive year of increases, following a low in 2016 when only eight chicks fledged. There were 49 nests recorded in 2022, of which 34 were successful in producing chicks. Lancashire remained a stronghold, with 18 nests recorded in Bowland, and there was also a cluster of territories in Northumberland (nine nests). There were 10 nests across the Yorkshire Dales & Nidderdale region, seven in the North Pennines, and five in the Peak District. This represents an encouraging increase in numbers across their range compared with the recent past, when only a few pairs nested each year, mostly in Bowland.

The total number of chicks includes 13 birds taken from four nests on grouse moors, reared and released as part of the Brood Management Trial. This aims to test whether this technique can influence attitudes among the moorland community and reduce persecution, as well as contributing healthy adult birds to the population. Brood-managed birds from previous years also bred successfully, with five birds producing 10 chicks between them in 2022.

Natural England is involved in a number of initiatives to help ensure hen harriers recover including through the Hen Harrier Action Plan published by Defra in 2016.

These include:

1. Satellite tracking to improve understanding of the birds’ movements and behaviour
2. Issuing licences to allow people to provide additional food to breeding Hen Harriers (‘diversionary feeding’)
3. Setting up a project to reintroduce hen harriers to southern England
4. Working with the National Wildlife Crime Unit, through a secondment of a senior enforcement officer from NE into the police, to deliver improvements in how Natural England, the police, local communities and other relevant stakeholders can work together to prevent, identify, and take effective enforcement action in relation to raptor persecution incidents.
5. Brood management, in which nestlings are taken from grouse moors, reared safely in captivity, and later released, with the aim of contributing healthy adults to the breeding population, changing attitudes and reducing persecution.

The hen harrier is considered vulnerable within Europe and is on the red-list of birds of conservation concern in the UK. It is a species of principal importance for biodiversity conservation in England.

Further information:

• A wide range of organisations have come together to work in partnership to ensure that the hen harrier chicks are well looked after and protected for the future. These include: Natural England, RSPB, Forestry Commission, the Moorland Association, United Utilities, the National Trust, Hawk and Owl Trust, Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, Northumberland National Park Authority, Peak District National Park Authority, Nidderdale & Forest of Bowland Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, local police forces, individual Estates and their keepers, farmers, and a large number of volunteer raptor enthusiasts.
• The hen harrier is listed on Annex 1 of the EC Birds Directive as it is considered vulnerable within Europe and is on the red-list of birds of conservation concern in the UK. It is a species of principal importance for biodiversity conservation in England under Section 41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006.

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Thank you President. I join others in thanking Mr Wennesland, Mr Lazzarini and Mr Levy for their valuable briefings today.

Let me start by welcoming the two-year anniversary of the Abraham Accords this month. The Abraham Accords are a historic milestone that bring us closer to the goal of shared prosperity and peace throughout the region.

President,

As we stated at the emergency session on 8 August, the UK welcomes the ceasefire in Gaza and we reiterate our calls for the parties to make every effort to sustain it. It is critical that humanitarian access in and out of Gaza is ensured, in accordance with International Humanitarian Law.

We were appalled by the terrorist attack in Jerusalem on 13 August. The UK unequivocally condemns any and all acts of terrorism. Our thoughts are with the victims and families of those affected.  We reiterate our unwavering commitment to Israel’s security.  This conflict has taken a terrible toll on both sides. We are concerned at the record number of Palestinians killed by Israeli security forces this year and urge Israel to show restraint in the use of live ammunition and to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation into all fatalities.

President,

We have been clear about our concern over the Israeli government’s decision last year to designate six Palestinian NGOs as terrorist organisations. The subsequent raids on the offices of seven Palestinian NGOs, and arrests of their staff, are equally concerning. Civil society organisations play an important role in upholding human rights and democracy and they must be able to operate freely in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We continue to engage with a number of these organisations.

President,

We call on the Israeli authorities to halt plans to advance evictions at Khan Al Ahmar and on the E1 settlement plan. Advancing E1 would seriously hinder a two-state solution. Settlements are contrary to International Humanitarian Law.

This month we also saw demolition orders issued in Masafer Yatta and against a donor-funded school in Ein Samiya. Such demolitions cause unnecessary suffering and in all but exceptional circumstances are contrary to international law.

The UK is a long-standing supporter of UNRWA for the vital role they play in providing core services and humanitarian and protection assistance to Palestinian refugees across the region. We were pleased to announce at the pledging conference in June that we have agreed a new multi-year funding agreement with UNRWA and will provide £15m this year.

The situation on the ground demonstrates the urgent need to make progress towards a Two State Solution that ensures a safe and secure Israel, living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state based on 1967 lines, with Jerusalem the shared capital of both states.  The UK remains committed to working with all parties to reduce tensions and take steps towards a sustainable peace.