A female Hen Harrier that was found dead in the Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire, had been shot according to conservationists. The conservationists were monitoring the bird, which had been fitted with a satellite tag, remotely as it ranged across the uplands of Scotland and northern England earlier this year. Concern for the bird was raised in late June when satellite data indicated that the bird was stationary. The bird's body was recovered from a moorland area managed for grouse shooting in the Yorkshire Dales by Stephen Murphy of Natural England on 5th July 2012. The bird's death is being investigated by North Yorkshire Police.

The Hen Harrier is a rare nesting bird in England, with only one pair nesting successfully in 2012. Government studies have shown that the uplands of England could support over 300 pairs and that the principal reason for the bird's perilous state is illegal persecution associated with grouse shooting.