Britain’s smallest bird of prey, the merlin, is experiencing a magical turn around in fortunes thanks to methods of moorland management.
The compact falcons are flying in to nest on English grouse moors which have helped stave off their downfall.
There are currently around 900-1,500 breeding pairs in the UK and their numbers have been boosted by improved habitiats.
A new study commissioned by the Moorland Association has found dramatic gains in merlin populations on heather moorland managed by gamekeepers.
Consultant ecologists, Penny Anderson Associates, have highlighted significant increases using respected British Trust for Ornithology Atlas data.
The study assessed the distribution of breeding merlin in England. It found 78 per cent of records were on protected and conserved heather landscapes.
It suggests numbers of breeding records have doubled on grouse moors in the last 20 years, according to MA chairman, Robert Benson.
He added, “While the threatened species has done exceptionally well on land looked after by keepers, the beautiful birds are struggling in other upland areas, where breeding records have fallen by more than half in the same period.”
British Trust for Ornithology data shows breeding records within 10 kilometre squares, making it possible to establish that where there are gamekeepers, there are four times more merlin.
The gains on grouse moors have helped maintain the protected bird’s population, rather than see it join the Red List of endangered species. The merlin is currently on the Amber List.
Mr Benson said he was very pleased that proper management of the moors had such a positive effect on merlin.
He explained, “Plenty of heather to nest in, a ready food supply and the control of merlin’s natural predators are the winning combination of grouse moor management.
“These lovely birds of prey with square-cut tails and pointed wings are doing well on our members’ land, but numbers are becoming perilously low elsewhere.
The report entitled Analysis of Merlin Breeding Data (2014) can be downloaded here.