CONTENTS PREFACE 2 INTRODUCTION 3 SCOTTISH RAPTOR MONITORING REPORT 3 SCOTTISH RAPTOR MONITORING GROUP 3 Achievements in 2003 Future priorities RAPTOR BREEDING REPORT FOR 2003 3 Introduction to breeding report Occupation of Home Ranges Terminology Persecution and observer bias Regions/SRSG Areas for Scotland, 2003 5 Species accounts 6 European Honey-buzzard 6 Red Kite 6 White-tailed Eagle 9 Eurasian Marsh Harrier 9 Hen Harrier 9 Northern Goshawk 12 Eurasian Sparrowhawk 13 Common Buzzard 13 Golden Eagle 14 Osprey 17 Common Kestrel 17 Merlin 18 Eurasian Hobby 20 Peregrine Falcon 20 Barn Owl 22 Tawny Owl 24 Long-eared Owl 24 Short-eared Owl 25 Common Raven 25 REFERENCES 26 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 26 Addendum to Raptor Roundup 2002, 26 supplement to Scottish Birds 24 (2003). Annex 1. Nest site and home range data submitted under the Scottish 27 Raptor Monitoring Scheme in 2003. Annex 2. Special Protection Areas classified for raptors in Scotland. 28 Preface Raptors are now amongst the most intensively surveyed of all This is an important publication, which builds on the Report of animal groups in Scotland. That this is so is a great tribute to the UK Raptor Working Group (published by the Department of the skill, experience and energy of the two hundred and thirty the Environment, Transport and the Regions in 2000) and Birds members of the Scottish Raptor Study Groups. Scotland is of Prey in a Changing Environment (published by The fortunate to have such an effective group of fieldworkers who Stationery Office in 2003). SNH endeavours to collect, collate do so much of the surveying and monitoring of raptors in the and analyse data on numbers, distribution and breeding evenings or at weekends. performance of raptors to provide the Scottish Executive with the most reliable information available on the status of these The Scottish Raptor Monitoring Group is to be commended for birds. Many of our most important nature conservation sites producing this, its first report, on the basis of fieldwork in 2003. have been designated for their raptor interests and it is I thank the following members of the Group for all their work: important we monitor these to ensure that they are sustained for David Stroud (Joint Nature Conservation Committee), Patrick future generations of people to enjoy. Stirling-Aird, Wendy Mattingly, Alan Heavisides and Jon Hardey (Scottish Raptor Study Groups), Chris Wernham John Markland (British Trust for Ornithology, Scotland), Malcolm Ogilvie Chairman, Scottish Natural Heritage (Rare Birds Breeding Panel), Duncan Orr-Ewing and Jeremy March 2005 Wilson (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Scotland), Mark Holling (Scottish Ornithologists’ Club), Nigel Buxton, Helen Riley, Brian Etheridge and the Group Chairman, Des Thompson (Scottish Natural Heritage). In particular, I want to thank the Raptor Monitoring Officer, Brian Etheridge, for compiling this report so effectively based on nearly three and a half thousand raptor species breeding records provided by fieldworkers. 2 The Scottish Raptor Monitoring Group Report, 2003 Introduction This is the first report by the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Achievements in 2003 Group (SRMG) on the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme Since its inception, the SRMG has achieved the following: (SRMS) and covers the year 2003. It replaces the annual Raptor Round Up reports previously published by SOC on 1. Produced text for Raptors: a field guide to survey and behalf of Scottish Raptor Study Groups. The report monitoring, describing survey methods for each raptor and incorporates data submitted to the scheme on breeding raptors, owl species that breeds regularly in Scotland and the UK. owls and ravens primarily by the Scottish Raptor Study The field guide will be published in 2005, funded by contri- Groups (SRSGs) together with data from RSPB Scotland and butions from members of the SRMG and the other UK Scottish Natural Heritage. The SRSGs consist of a consortium Statutory Conservation Agencies. of ten regional raptor study groups (Figure 1) with a 2. Established a system for collecting and collating raptor membership of 230 fieldworkers. Group members are breeding data from all SRSG workers. This has been done enthusiastic and expert ornithologists who conduct studies in by the RMO in liaison with chairmen and species coordi- their own time. New members are always welcome and should nators from the ten SRSGs. contact the local chairmen/chairwomen. 3. Established a national SNH grant given to the SRSG to facilitate comprehensive monitoring of raptors by The Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme was established in providing funds for travel expenses for raptor fieldworkers response to recommendations for enhanced monitoring of and contributing to administrative costs incurred by the raptors within the Report of the UK Raptor Working Group SRSGs in attending SRMG meetings. (2000). The scheme came to fruition on 24 June 2002 with the 4. Developed proposals for assessing the representativeness of signing of an Agreement by the following seven parties: SNH current raptor monitoring in Scotland, and uses of raptor (Scottish Natural Heritage), JNCC (Joint Nature Conservation data to determine trends and changes in Scottish raptor Committee), SRSGs, BTO Scotland (British Trust for populations and the factors responsible for these. Ornithology), RBBP (Rare Birds Breeding Panel), RSPB 5. Produced and circulated bi-annual newsletters (Scottish Scotland (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) and SOC Raptor) for members of the SRSG. (Scottish Ornithologists’ Club). SNH took the lead in the 6. Attracted positive publicity for national surveys of development of the scheme and chairs the Scottish Raptor Peregrine (2002), Golden Eagle (2003) and Hen Harrier Monitoring Group that oversees it. (2004). The scheme has three objectives: Future priorities SRMG future work is as follows: 1. Co-operation: to promote better co-operation between the various bodies responsible for gathering information on 1. Establish and maintain an inventory of current survey Scottish raptors, in order that the SRMS will be effective. coverage of raptors in Scotland by SRSGs and others. 2. Survey and Monitoring: to provide robust information on 2. Publish Raptors: a field guide to survey and monitoring. Scottish raptor populations, in order to determine trends in 3. Developing research to identify constraints on four key numbers, range, survival and productivity, and to understand raptor species in Scotland (Hen Harrier, Merlin, Peregrine the causes of population changes. and Common Buzzard). These species framework analyses 3. Data and information standards: to maintain high and will be based on pioneering work, led by SNH, on Golden uniform standards for the collection, collation, auditing and Eagle, which has identified persecution as a key analysis of data, and reporting of information. constraining factor on the Scottish population (e.g. Whitfield et al., 2004). The work utilises a variety of Scotland is one of the first countries in Europe to establish a techniques including population and range modelling, GIS raptor monitoring scheme. It is hoped that the example set by and statistical analyses. Many of these techniques are Scotland will inspire other countries to establish schemes, so described in detail in Birds of Prey in a Changing eventually trends and changes in Scottish raptor populations can Environment (Thompson et al., 2003). be set in clearer UK and international contexts. 4. Maintain positive and objective reporting on issues concerning raptor surveys and conservation. Scottish Raptor Monitoring Group Raptor Breeding Report for 2003 To oversee the work of the scheme, the SRMG was formed with representatives of the seven organisations who signed the The report that follows is based on the data supplied by the ten Agreement. The Group is responsible for: regional raptor study groups in Scotland, and others, to the Raptor Monitoring Officer for the year 2003. Nearly 3,500 1. Raptor survey methods and standards; returns were made covering 14 species of diurnal raptors, the 2. Collation of data; four species of owl and the raven that regularly breed in 3. Data analysis; and Scotland. Excellent coverage was achieved for some of the 4. Reporting and publications. scarcer upland species – in particular, Hen Harrier, Merlin, Peregrine and Golden Eagle (2003 was a national survey year Brian Etheridge, the Raptor Monitoring Officer (RMO), began for the latter species). On a regional basis, there were some work on 13 January 2003 and is employed in a part-time impressive species totals (e.g. for Goshawk, Sparrowhawk, capacity by SNH to service this work on behalf of SRMG. This Common Buzzard and Barn and Tawny Owl), reflecting Annual Report is an important output from the group. specialisation by individual enthusiasts. The totals summarised 3 in Annex 1 are of nest sites and home ranges checked and Occupancy – a nesting station is occupied if a single bird or monitored by fieldworkers in 2003. For some species, the totals pair of birds is recorded during the breeding season or if will include both occupied and unoccupied ranges. there is strong evidence that birds are present (moulted feathers, pellets, plucks, splash). Occupation of Home Ranges Territorial bird or pair - a single bird or pair that defend a In many diurnal raptors and Raven, breeding pairs are faithful to territory against intrusions by other raptors of the same a home range, and indeed many pairs comprise the same male species or against potential predators. For some species, and female over many years. In some resident species such as notably Common Buzzard, this territorial behaviour can Red Kite, Common Buzzard and Golden Eagle, the pair remains occur throughout the year and not just during the breeding together throughout the year and for at least part of the day will season. be on their home range. In migratory species, such as Honey- Breeding pair – a pair that (a) defends a nesting territory in buzzard and Osprey, the pair bond breaks up at the end of the the spring; (b) repairs or builds a nest, or prepares a nest breeding season.