Conservation success as North Yorkshire hails record sightings of rare birds of prey

Spaunton Estate, which carries out detailed species survey work, has reported an increase of 201 per cent in bird of prey sightings over five years from 711 in 2018 to 2,144 in 2022.

There were notable successes for many of our most loved birds of prey, including Merlin, Red Kite, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel, underlining a clear positive trend. Buzzard are the most numerous species, with 862 recorded last year.

Kestrel numbers have continued their trend of recovery from around 150 sightings in 2018 to 567 sightings in 2022, a 285 per cent increase.

Kestrel are breeding successfully in several locations on the estate each year.

Red Kite have shown a consistent increase from only two sightings five years ago; to 11 in 2019; to 50 in 2020; to 84 in 2021 and 179 in the last year.

They are now well established and breeding nearby.

The UK’s smallest bird of prey, the Merlin, remains nationally very rare but sightings have increased from 29 to 98 over the past five years at Spaunton, an increase of 237 per cent.

Part of the estate’s success is a result of the gamekeepers controlling predators such as foxes and stoats, to help ensure the Merlin chicks have a better chance of survival, as well as maintaining areas of heather on slopes which are favoured for nesting.

George Winn Darley, owner of Spaunton Estate, said: “The efforts made by gamekeepers, landowners and partner organisations have worked wonders for many of these rare species, despite the increasing number of visitors who come to enjoy the moors.

"This is an absolute conservation success story.

"Visitors love seeing them in the skies above.”

Spaunton Estate records data on birds of prey and works with organisations such as the British Trust for Ornithology to help calculate territory and range.

Merlin and Golden Plover are the two species for which the North York Moors are designated as a Special Protection Area.