Sliabh Aughty return for hen harrier

A RARE hen harrier, uniquely identified with a coloured tag on either wing, has returned home to the Slieve Aughtys in North-East Clare, and, after pairing with a local male, has reared two young chicks.
“This is good news for the local hen harrier population in Clare,” hen harrier expert Barry O’Donoghue said. He captured photos of the young mother performing spectacular aerial food passes to her young chicks.
“It is not only good news because she reared two young female chicks but because she has returned back to the mountain range on which she was born, which will help towards keeping the population there alive,” he said.
The hen harrier has swapped allegiances in terms of counties; born on the Galway side of the Aughtys, she has moved just 10km from where she was born to breed on the Clare side. She has been seen on many occasions in her first two winters around Lough Corrib in Galway, after being tagged as a chick in 2008, as part of a wing-tagging scheme undertaken by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and University College Cork.
“The wing tags do not impede the bird’s flight, or ability to find a mate and live normal lives, as proven by this female. Local man James Moran and hen harrier researcher Geoff Oliver found her breeding earlier this summer and we are delighted to have completed the picture of her year, from winter to summer. The wing tagging is not simply a scheme to solve our curiosity as to where birds go, but is an important tool in the conservation of the species, enabling calculations of survival rates, establishing links between summer and winter sites. For example, a young female from West Clare spent last winter in Wales. The tags tell us whether harriers prefer to return home as adults, or set up territory elsewhere,” Barry O’Donoghue added.
Clare is one of the most important parts of Ireland, and indeed Europe, for this rare and magnificent bird of prey. West Clare, the Slieve Aughtys and the Slieve Bernagh Region are all strongholds, although the population remains threatened and endangered. The hen harrier’s aerial food passes and spring-time sky dances are two of the most unusual spectacles in Irish nature. If anyone sees a hen harrier (with or without tags), they can contact Barry O’Donoghue on 087 9110715 or at harriers@environ.ie.