If current trends continue, the hen harrier will be extinct from Kerry, and the entire country, within 25 years.
There are no more than 21 breeding pairs of the iconic bird of prey left across Kerry, Limerick and Cork.
That's according to the National Parks and Wildlife Service's most recent survey.
The Irish Hen Harrier Survey highlights a rapid decline - with the national population plummeting by over 50 percent since 2005.
This fall is being blamed on the birds' shrinking habitat, because of changes in land-use such as an increase in forestry and wind farms.
Ireland has six upland Special Protection Areas to support the so-called "Sky Dancer", including The Stack’s to Mullaghareirk Mountains, West Limerick Hills and Mount Eagle SPA.
More than 250 birdwatchers, farmers, wildlife rangers, foresters and biologists volunteered to carry out the survey - which took almost 8,000 hours.
Experts say habitat restoration, and well-funded, long-term agri-environment schemes are needed to reverse the decline.
