Rural Payments and Services

The aim of this item is to benefit moorland birds, but in particular hen harriers, by providing alternative prey once their chicks have hatched and the adults are hunting intensively to feed their chicks.

Rough grazing land where there are known breeding hen harriers is eligible.

You must combine this item with the Moorland Management management option.

You must identify on a 1:10,000 map the location of any nest you are providing diversionary feed for along with the location of its associated feeding site.

• you must obtain a licence from Scottish Natural Heritage
• feeding perch(es) must be constructed of posts at least 75 millimetres in diameter or width, with a cross piece of at least 300 millimetres nailed securely to the top of the post
• the post and cross piece must be at least 1.2 metres high
• the post must be firmly dug or driven into the ground
• you must check feeding posts daily and provide day-old poultry chicks or white rats, in accordance with the practice described in "Diversionary Feeding of Hen Harriers on Grouse Moors" for 60 days after hatching
• you must submit your notification when you start feeding
• you must submit a report upon completion of work of the activity undertaken
• you must maintain a diary

You can claim £1,078.34 per nest fed.

Payment will be made upon completion of the work.

To further support hen harriers you can select this item with the Predator Control management option.

The inspectors will check:

• the location and extent of the work
• you have a licence from Scottish Natural Heritage
• feeding perch(es) are constructed of posts at least 75 millimetres in diameter or width, with a cross piece of at least 300 millimetres nailed securely to the top of the post
• the post and cross piece are at least 1.2 metres high
• the post has been firmly dug or driven into the ground
• you have checked feeding posts daily and provided day old poultry chicks or white rats in accordance with the practice described in "Diversionary Feeding of Hen Harriers on Grouse Moors” for 60 days after hatching. This should be recorded in your diary and may involve an invoice check
• you have submitted your notification when you start feeding
• you have submitted a report upon completion of work of the activity undertaken
• you have maintained a diary

Supporting guidance is available for this item.

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