Conservationists ‘overjoyed' at successful breeding by rare Montagu's harriers
Montagu's harriers winter in Africa and return to Europe to nest, often setting up home in agricultural fields – particularly winter sown cereals in the UK – and can return to the same location each year.
The Montagu's harrier is the UK's rarest breeding bird (RSPB/PA)
Their previous strongholds in Spain and France are struggling because of more intensive agriculture, earlier harvesting dates and wetter summers, while in the UK they have declined from a high of nine successful nests in 2011, with the species placed on the 'red list' of birds most at risk in 2021, the RSPB said.
The pair were first seen at the now secret location in May, and the RSPB has worked closely with the farmer on whose land the birds were to protect the nesting attempt.
A nest was located in June by the licensed use of a drone and then closely monitored by a volunteer birdwatcher and the wildlife charity.
The RSPB set up a small protective fence around the nest once the chicks had hatched, to protect them from predators such as foxes.
The pair have raised four chicks to fledging, in a first since 2019 (RSPB/PA)
The chicks were ringed in mid-July and last week made their first flights, the RSPB said.
Both the adult birds were themselves previously ringed, with the male identified as a chick from a nest in the UK in 2015, and the female from a nest in France in 2023.
Mark Thomas, Montagu's harrier species lead at RSPB, said: 'We are overjoyed that a pair have returned, they managed to find each other and through the close protection of a dedicated farmer and the RSPB, have managed to raise four youngsters.
'What's even more remarkable is that we have been able to work out that the male was colour-ringed by the RSPB as a chick in a UK nest in 2015 and that his partner is wearing a ring indicating she is from France.
The Montagu's Harrier female is from a nest in France ( RSPB/PA)
'This Anglo-French alliance could just be the springboard needed to save this species in Britain.'
The farmer, who cannot be named to protect the location of the nest, said: 'It's fantastic to have these amazing birds on the farm and a just reward for the extensive conservation work we have been undertaking for decades.'
The RSPB said it hoped the birds will migrate safely to Africa, and the adults will return next year to breed again.
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