Long-term changes in the abundance and breeding success of raptors and ravens in periods of varying management of a Scottish grouse moor

Management of heather moorland for driven Red Grouse (Lagopus lagopus scotica) shooting in the British uplands may benefit some raptors by reducing predation risk, especially when breeding, and by increasing food availability. We describe changes in abundance and breeding success of four raptor spec...

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Main Authors: Sonja C. Ludwig, Staffan Roos, Chris J. Rollie, David Baines
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Resilience Alliance 2020-06-01
Series:Avian Conservation and Ecology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ace-eco.org/vol15/iss1/art21/
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spelling doaj-bf9d66d5ec9c4fa7b1a469aa04dd3b132020-11-25T03:43:28ZengResilience AllianceAvian Conservation and Ecology1712-65682020-06-01151211568Long-term changes in the abundance and breeding success of raptors and ravens in periods of varying management of a Scottish grouse moorSonja C. Ludwig0Staffan Roos1Chris J. Rollie2David Baines3Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, UKRSPB Centre for Conservation Science, RSPB Scotland, UKDumfries & Galloway Raptor Study Group, UKGame and Wildlife Conservation Trust, UKManagement of heather moorland for driven Red Grouse (Lagopus lagopus scotica) shooting in the British uplands may benefit some raptors by reducing predation risk, especially when breeding, and by increasing food availability. We describe changes in abundance and breeding success of four raptor species and Common Raven (Corvus corax) during a 27-year study on a grouse moor in southwest Scotland in relation to whether or not the moor was managed by gamekeepers. Ground-nesting raptors, Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus) and Merlin (Falco columbarius), increased during periods of grouse moor management and had a higher proportion of successful nesting attempts. Predation was the main apparent cause of breeding failure. In contrast, grouse moor management did not influence either abundance or breeding success of tree- and crag-nesting species, i.e., Peregrine (Falco peregrinus), Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo), and Raven. Buzzard sightings increased during the study, in line with their national recovery, whereas Peregrine and Raven showed little change in abundance. The results of our study highlight that management for Red Grouse can benefit both Hen Harrier and Merlin. However, on a UK scale these benefits to Hen Harriers, but not Merlin, are outweighed by their illegal killing, caused by fears that their consumption of Red Grouse can undermine the economics of grouse moor management.http://www.ace-eco.org/vol15/iss1/art21/ground-nestingpredationpredator controlprey abundancepopulation dynamics
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Sonja C. Ludwig
Staffan Roos
Chris J. Rollie
David Baines
spellingShingle Sonja C. Ludwig
Staffan Roos
Chris J. Rollie
David Baines
Long-term changes in the abundance and breeding success of raptors and ravens in periods of varying management of a Scottish grouse moor
Avian Conservation and Ecology
ground-nesting
predation
predator control
prey abundance
population dynamics
author_facet Sonja C. Ludwig
Staffan Roos
Chris J. Rollie
David Baines
author_sort Sonja C. Ludwig
title Long-term changes in the abundance and breeding success of raptors and ravens in periods of varying management of a Scottish grouse moor
title_short Long-term changes in the abundance and breeding success of raptors and ravens in periods of varying management of a Scottish grouse moor
title_full Long-term changes in the abundance and breeding success of raptors and ravens in periods of varying management of a Scottish grouse moor
title_fullStr Long-term changes in the abundance and breeding success of raptors and ravens in periods of varying management of a Scottish grouse moor
title_full_unstemmed Long-term changes in the abundance and breeding success of raptors and ravens in periods of varying management of a Scottish grouse moor
title_sort long-term changes in the abundance and breeding success of raptors and ravens in periods of varying management of a scottish grouse moor
publisher Resilience Alliance
series Avian Conservation and Ecology
issn 1712-6568
publishDate 2020-06-01
description Management of heather moorland for driven Red Grouse (Lagopus lagopus scotica) shooting in the British uplands may benefit some raptors by reducing predation risk, especially when breeding, and by increasing food availability. We describe changes in abundance and breeding success of four raptor species and Common Raven (Corvus corax) during a 27-year study on a grouse moor in southwest Scotland in relation to whether or not the moor was managed by gamekeepers. Ground-nesting raptors, Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus) and Merlin (Falco columbarius), increased during periods of grouse moor management and had a higher proportion of successful nesting attempts. Predation was the main apparent cause of breeding failure. In contrast, grouse moor management did not influence either abundance or breeding success of tree- and crag-nesting species, i.e., Peregrine (Falco peregrinus), Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo), and Raven. Buzzard sightings increased during the study, in line with their national recovery, whereas Peregrine and Raven showed little change in abundance. The results of our study highlight that management for Red Grouse can benefit both Hen Harrier and Merlin. However, on a UK scale these benefits to Hen Harriers, but not Merlin, are outweighed by their illegal killing, caused by fears that their consumption of Red Grouse can undermine the economics of grouse moor management.
topic ground-nesting
predation
predator control
prey abundance
population dynamics
url http://www.ace-eco.org/vol15/iss1/art21/
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