Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many fledged hen harriers there were in 2018; how many of these birds were successfully fitted with tracking devices; and what estimate he has made of the number of birds still being tracked by satellite.

During 2018 an estimated 34 hen harriers fledged in England. Natural England fixed satellite tags to five of these birds, of which two were still transmitting at the end of January 2019. Including birds tagged in previous years, Natural England is currently tracking four birds.

The RSPB fitted tags to approximately 30 hen harriers across the UK during 2018. As of November 2018, over two thirds of these tags were transmitting.