As the breeding season gets into full swing, farmers and birdwatchers are being urged to keep a lookout for Montagu’s harriers – the rarest breeding bird of prey in the UK, which nests almost entirely on arable farmland.
Montagu's harriers make the journey all the way from Senegal, running the gauntlet of bad weather, desert and the barrage of illegal hunters. Even more remarkable, the journey they make brings them back to the same field as the previous year.
Image: Montagu's harrier artwork female in flight. Mike Langman (rspb-images.com)
Montagu's harriers are both beautiful and very rare in the UK. With a population of less than 7 pairs it is our most precious breeding raptor. If it were not for two special groups of people we would lose this bird - the farmers who manage the land they breed on and the devoted ornithologists who closely nurture any breeding attempts.
Although rare, Montagu's harriers can be colonial with several pairs choosing to breed close together. Apart from when they are displaying in May they can be remarkably secretive, the female incubating eggs hidden deep in a grass or arable crop for a month, the male wandering large distances from the nest.
Male and female Montagu’s harriers differ in appearance. The males are plain grey, with black wing tips and a white underside. The females are mottled brown with a white rump. They are approximately the size of a buzzard, but have a more slender and graceful appearance.
The problem is that our fragile whisper of a population has decreased in the last two seasons. Our conservation colleagues in Spain tell us this could be cyclic - it seems nothing with this species is ever static.
In reality 'our' population doesn't actually exist, we simply host birds of the wider European population. But one thing we suspect is that despite our efforts, we are missing UK breeding birds.
So we need your help!
Mark Thomas, who leads the RSPB’s Montagu’s harrier conservation work, said: “It is vitally important we identify as many nest sites as possible. We can then offer free advice to the landowner on how best to protect these sites and give these birds a home to rear their young.
“Now is a great time to witness the adults’ airborne courtship before they establish their nests and become more difficult to see.
“Last year, reports to the hotline helped us confirm their presence at some of the traditional nest sites. Hopefully, this year we will discover some new nest sites and help these birds firmly establish themselves as a breeding species in the UK.”
Image: Montagu's harrier artwork male in flight. Mike Langman (rspb-images.com)
With the help of farmers and birdwatchers we are hopeful we can locate new birds away from the UK core in Wessex and that these birds can be helped to successfully rear juveniles.
Any possible sightings of Montagu’s harrier can be reported to the hotline on 01767 693398 or emailed to wildlife@rspb.org.uk. Details should include the date and six digit grid reference if possible and a contact telephone number. All reports to the hotline will be treated in the strictest of confidence.