Only a few breeding pairs of hen harriers remain

Just seven hen harrier breeding females raised 22 chicks in 2002, but there is now a severe risk to the birds' vital nesting sites because of this year's fires, English Nature has warned.

Burning is traditionally conducted in moorland areas to stimulate new heather growth for sheep and red grouse.

English Nature blamed says mature heather moorland was burned at both known nesting sites of the birds in the North Pennine Moors special protection area, which extends across parts of Cumbria and Durham to North Yorkshire.

These were both internationally important wildlife areas, partially identified as such because of their breeding hen harriers.

English Nature says at least one fire in the North Pennines was intentionally targeted at last year's nest site to prevent the birds settling again in 2003.

The North Pennine Moors special protection area, stretching from Harrogate in North Yorkshire to Carlisle in Cumbria, covers an area of over 147,000 hectares making it the largest SPA in the United Kingdom.

Deep heather

Sir Martin Doughty, chairman of English Nature, said: "This is dreadful news.

"Hen harriers use mature heather as a cover and protection when building their nests and raising their young.

"They return each year to traditional nest sites. It is unlikely that they will settle and nest in these newly burnt areas without this deep heather cover.

"The sites where the hen harriers nested last year were well known to many people, so it is extremely disappointing that heather has been burned in these areas."

Inappropriate moorland burning can lead to erosion and to the spread of bracken, resulting in permanent loss of heather and long-term damage to bird of prey habitat.

Under current guidelines the heather burning season continues until 15 April, which means patches of long heather can be destroyed even after hen harriers have started nesting.

English Nature says it is working with the Moorland Association and other experts to discuss heather burning practices.

It says there are now just a handful of English breeding hen harrier pairs and it feared the bird could become extinct in the country within the next few years.