I’m thinking of how to respond to the Defra call for evidence – click here – on gamebird shooting (as readers of my monthly newsblast will know).
I’ve already penned something on the overall death toll of the tens of millions of released birds – click here and another on densities of gamebirds at distances from release pens and their impacts of on native wildlife – click here, and a few words on killing of domestic pets by gamekeepers – click here. and on impacts of grouse moor management – click here.
Here are some references which Defra should read and assess to get a better picture of impacts of wildlife crime on grouse moors on numbers of protected species
Low Hen Harrier numbers because of illegality on grouse moors:
RSPB study in Scotland still highly relevant and to England situation https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1046/j.1365-2664.1999.00419.x
JNCC report (UK wide – covers England factors) see https://data.jncc.gov.uk/data/0708d38a-099c-45e8-9e96-73647cab3a97/JNCC-Report-441-FINAL-WEB.pdf
RSPB report ‘Hen Harriers in Firing line’ see https://markavery.info/2025/06/26/rspb-report-hen-harriers-in-the-firing-line/
BTO report see https://markavery.info/2025/03/24/english-hen-harrier-population-increase-modelled-brood-meddled-nests-not-a-factor/
Wild Justice report ‘Meddling on the Moors’ see https://wildjustice.org.uk/meddling-on-the-moors-a-wild-justice-report/
RSPB science see https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320723001738
Analysis of NE tag data published in Nature and explained here https://markavery.info/2019/03/19/long-awaited-scientific-paper-nails-grouse-moor-crimes/
Low Peregrine numbers because of illegality on grouse moors:
long term study in north of England https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006320711003831
Low Golden Eagle numbers in Scotland (relevant to English lack of eagles and reintroduction projects) because of illegality on grouse moors
see https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006320706000267