For other birds of prey such as merlin and owls, the picture is less clear with declines potentially linked to habitat quality caused by inappropriate land management and climate change.

To combat this, local charities are working together on the Upland Skies scheme, a nature conservation project aimed at reversing the fortunes of our birds of prey in the Peak District. The project has received support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and £91,900 has been awarded to the partnership made up of Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust, RSPB, National Trust and Peak District National Park Authority. This funding gives the partnership the opportunity to progress plans for the project and apply for a full National Lottery grant next year. 

Tim Birch, Head of Living Landscapes (North) at Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has said “Birds of prey are protected by law, yet they continue to decline in numbers. To secure their future for generations to come we need to inform local people about the issue and inspire them to help save these birds. Furthermore, we need to ensure that the moors and hills are looked after in a way that give birds of prey the best chance to thrive. Those of us who live in and visit the Peak District are being robbed of the opportunity to experience this fantastic wildlife; we hope this project will help put these birds back where they belong – in our skies.”

The project will take place in Sheffield and the Peak District, where we will raise public awareness of the threats that face these birds and inspire local people and visitors to take action.  The project will inspire, educate and engage children and young people about this precious wildlife and the landscapes on their doorstep.  Upland Skies will also champion positive land management techniques, which will provide habitats to help birds of prey thrive once again.

Over the next year the partnership will be developing Upland Skies into a full large-scale project proposal.