16 different raptor species recorded flying across Scottish moorlands in fresh study
There are said to be some 20 different bird of prey species in Scotland.
Sixteen different species of raptor have been documented flying across a range of Scottish moorland in the last year, according to a new study.
The results are from the fifth year of what is planned to be a decade-long study tracking birds of prey in Scotland to build a simple index of their conservation status.
There are said to be some 20 different species of raptors in Scotland. Including the different owl and raven species, the figure could be more than 20, some conservationists have said.
Carried out from spring into summer each year, independent surveyors record the presence of raptors along 10km routes in different areas of Scotland that predominantly comprise of managed heather habitat but also incorporate some rewilding or forestry initiatives.
This year, a total of 15 flight routes have been monitored across four moorland areas in Southern Scotland, Tayside, Angus Glens and the Grampians, with surveys taking place once a month.
The initial results from 2025 show buzzards were, again, the most commonly recorded raptor at 38 per cent of the total recorded (up from 35 per cent).
There has been a steady increase in the percentage of red kites recorded over the last three count seasons, rising from 13 per cent to 20 per cent this year, while kestrels have dropped from over 16 per cent to 8.5 per cent.
Golden eagles, peregrine falcons and hen harriers were recorded in all four main survey areas.
Among the 16 species recorded were also white tailed sea eagles, ospreys, goshawks, sparrowhawks, ravens and short-eared and tawny owls.
The same research project last year found in the year between 2023 and 2024, the number of golden eagles tracked flying over Scottish moorlands had doubled when looking at 15 different flight routes.
The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), which is administering the decade-long study, said it is difficult to compare the data from previous years as the number of flight routes varies year on year.
Nevertheless, 421 species records were submitted this year, compared to 523 in 2024.
Mark Ewart, of Scotland’s Regional Moorland Groups, a collection of moorland estates across six regions, said, according to gamekeepers, the decrease in sightings recorded this year is believed to be linked to “a catastrophically poor breeding season” for many upland bird species in 2024.
Long, cold wet weather periods throughout April and May last year devastated broods, particularly red grouse, and reduced insect availability for food, according to researchers.
Farmers also spoke of the year being terrible for lambing and harvesting due to the prolonged periods of wet weather.
Mr Ewart added: “Bird breeding success in 2025 was on the whole much improved, and we look forward to seeing what impact this has, if any, on next year’s transect surveys”
Ross Macleod, head of policy at GWCT in Scotland, said: “With each succeeding year, we are adding more data to inform the overall picture regarding the interaction between species, land use, changes in management and climate-related aspects.
“This helps towards a better understanding as to the role of heather moorland in conservation and sustainable management.”
He said GWCT want to encourage alternative sites to get involved in the transect study to researchers make comparisons when it comes to raptor numbers across different land uses.
Last year, the RSPB Scotland produced a report saying there had been more than 400 confirmed incidents of bird of prey persecution discovered in Scotland over 15 years.
The charity said the crimes are continuing “at considerable scale year on year.”
The RSPB’s Raptor Persecution Map Hub showed, for Scotland, six confirmed incidents happened in 2023 and four the year before.
Scottish Government figures show in the five years from 2017 to 2021, bird of prey crime incidents went from 24 to 17 to 25 to 11 to 24 respectively.
Commenting after the release of the RSPB report last year, Ross Ewing, of Scottish Land and Estates, said official figures show wildlife crime reports have demonstrated a decline in bird crime to the lowest levels on record.
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