Landowners clash with bird rights activists after row over missing harrier

Scottish landowners have criticised animal rights activists after they used the mystery disappearance of a rare hen harrier to demand a clampdown on grouse shooting.

RSPB Scotland said the bird, named Fingal, had vanished “in suspicious circumstances” above a grouse moor in the south of Scotland in May.

The campaign group claimed it was the fourth satellite-tagged hen harrier to vanish on a Scottish grouse moor since the beginning of April, and urged the Scottish Government to bring forward plans for the licensing of grouse shooting.

However, the landowner, Buccleuch, denied responsibility and accused the charity of making unfounded claims to further its political goals.

The bird's transmitter sent its final signal on May 19, from an area of moorland managed for gamebird shooting east of Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway.

Scottish Land and Estates accused the group of “pointing the finger” at Buccleuch, Scotland’s second largest landowner, which leases the land which is run by its gamekeeping staff.

“The estate has an impeccable record in caring for wildlife and biodiversity – including hosting many successful hen harrier nests on its estate in recent years,” Mark Tennant, chairman of Scottish Land and Estates, said.

“This latest press release from RSPB Scotland does, however, once again raise questions about RSPB’s dual role in controlling satellite tags and then using that information to progress their vocal campaign to licence driven grouse shooting.

“The current approach is the issuing of information at a time to maximise political pressure rather than finding out what has actually happened to the bird.”

Benny Higgins, Executive Chairman of Buccleuch, said he was “concerned” at the statement issued by the RSPB. He claimed police had said, following an unsuccessful search for the bird, that no further action was being taken.

“There has been no suggestion that any of our gamekeeping staff were involved in this incident nor were even questioned by police," he said.

“It is troubling that more than three months after this incident, the matter is publicised in a way that smears the reputation of responsible land managers and is done in pursuit of a political objective.”

Ian Thomson, RSPB Scotland’s Head of Investigations, said: "This has become a depressingly familiar story. Yet again a satellite-tagged bird of prey has disappeared suddenly and inexplicably on a grouse moor and is presumed killed."