§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the population of(a) pine martens, (b) peregrine falcons, (c) hen harriers and (d) sparrowhawks in each year since 1980; and what is his estimate of the amount of damage each species does to game birds. [21847]
§ Mr. MossFigures are not available for the population of pine martens.
A census of peregrine falcons took place in 1981 and again in 1991, when there were 53 and 99 pairs respectively. Precise information is not available for hen harriers or sparrowhawks, but it is estimated that currently there are fewer than 20 pairs of hen harriers and between 9,000 and 10,000 pairs of sparrowhawks. No information is available on the amount of damage each species does to game birds.