female head

female head female European distribution male in flight

Identification

Its plumages are very similar to those of the Hen Harrier but this is an even slimmer and skinnier-looking bird with the wing-tips looking particularly narrow, even falcon-like. Other features include the more obvious dark and light face pattern of a female Montagu's and the rich ginger, almost orange, underparts of the juveniles. Adult male Montagu's have a darker, vaguely streaked bellies and their wings have obvious horizontal bars on both upper and undersides, making the whole bird look patchier than the 'clean' male Hen Harrier.

Habitat

Breeds on heaths, young conifer plantations, moorland, reedbeds and arable crop fields.

Behaviour

Displays sometimes involve sessions of talon-grappling in which two birds lock talons and spin each other round in mid-air.

Migration

British and European birds are believed to winter in Africa favouring regions of savannah.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Montagu's Harrier is classed as Scarce: broadly speaking, species that are covered in British Birds' annual review of scarce species (and forms of similar rarity).

Ballum Enge, Denmark 26/07/2010	Ballum Enge, Denmark 26/07/2010	Ballum Enge, Denmark 02/05/2010	Ballum Enge, Denmark 26/07/2010	Ballum Enge, Denmark 26/07/2010
Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk 12/08/2010	undisc. site, Norfolk 03/07/2010	undisc. site, Norfolk 25/07/2010	undisc. site, Norfolk 25/07/2010	undisc. site, Norfolk 25/07/2010

 View all pictures of Montagu's Harrier

Montagu's Harrier breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Moldova
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Serbia and Montenegro
Slovakia
Spain
Sweden
Turkey
Ukraine

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	RSPB: The Full Monty: UK's Rarest Bird of Prey Choose Lincolnshire Fenland as Nesting Site	Monday 25th June 2007
	A pair of Montagu’s Harriers, the UK’s rarest breeding birds of prey, are nesting at Digby Fen between Lincoln and Boston. Find our where to go to see these fantastic birds.   read on
	Montagu's Harrier Watchpoint in Lincolnshire	Friday 25th June 2004
	The RSPB are offering the public a unique opportunity to observe a pair of the UK's rarest breeding bird of prey, the Montagu's Harrier.   read on

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