A BIRD group believes East Lancashire’s iconic bird of prey may become extinct after heading into a fourth year without confirmed breeding pairs.

The East Lancashire Ornithologists Club has highlighted there have not been successful breeding pairs of hen harriers since 2014, following failed attempts in 2012 and 2013.

The bird of prey has struggled in recent years with only one active nest in the Forest of Bowland in 2015. Last year’s hen harrier survey showed the number of breeding pairs of the bird in England fell from 12 in 2010 to just four in 2016.

In 2017 in England only three pairs of hen harriers successfully bred out of a total of seven attempts.

David Chew, secretary of the ornithologists club, said: “The Forest of Bowland has traditionally been recognised as the English stronghold for breeding hen harriers.

“Overall, the present situation with regard to the hen harrier and other birds of prey is unsustainable if they are to continue as breeding birds in their traditional environment in the UK.

“If the present situation continues they will eventually become extinct as a breeding bird in these locations.”

Hen harriers eat mainly small birds and mammals, the males are pale grey in colour and females are brown with a white rump.

During the spring months, the male birds perform their courtship display known as sky dancing to attract a mate.

“Raptor crime in Bowland is closely monitored by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) who have a designated officer assigned to protect birds of prey and he is assisted in this task by a small team of staff and volunteers.

“Despite their presence on the ground policing this vast area of moorland no hen harriers have bred successfully in Bowland since 2014. Even in 2014 two satellite tagged hen harriers from these nests simply disappeared. The RSPB estimates that England could potentially hold up to 320 pairs of breeding hen harrier and Bowland has been designated as an area capable of holding thirteen pairs.

“It is a stark statistic that only one per cent of this birds breeding potential is being achieved despite the protection afforded to this bird under current criminal law whilst in Bowland the aim of 13 breeding pairs can only be a distant aspiration.”