Montagu’s harrier breedes again in UK; satellite tagging tracks migration

What's happened

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds reports that Montagu’s harrier has nested two years in a row at a secret English site. A male known as AU bred with two females, rearing six chicks across two nests. Two chicks have satellite tags to monitor their 7,000-mile migration to West Africa, while conservationists urge observers to report sightings.

What's behind the headline?

Brief

• AU’s successful breeding this year marks progress after years of decline, but the population remains precariously low.
• Satellite tagging offers new data on migration routes and survival, potentially guiding future protections.

What’s behind the story

• The partnership with farmers and local conservation groups is essential to protecting on-ground nests from predators and agricultural threats.
• Climate variability and changing harvest patterns could affect nesting success and migration timing, a reality the RSPB says requires adaptable strategies.

Implications for readers

• This is a rare, high-profile example of targeted wildlife conservation in action in the UK.
• The public’s role in reporting sightings can directly contribute to monitoring and protecting this species.

How we got here

Conservationists have long monitored Montagu’s harrier, a UK red-listed species since 2021. After a drop in breeding success between 2020 and 2024, this year’s nesting by AU represents a continued push to conserve a fragile population, aided by farmers protecting nests and ongoing tagging programs.

Our analysis

Independent reports on Montagu’s harrier breeding; BBC News coverage highlighting satellite tagging and migration plans; RSPB statements on conservation efforts and the species’ red-list status.

Go deeper

• Will AU’s tagging help pinpoint critical stopover sites on the migration route?
• How should birdwatchers report sightings to aid conservation?
• What does this imply for farming practices near nesting sites?

More on these topics

• British Broadcasting Corporation - Broadcasting company

  The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Headquartered at Broadcasting House in Westminster, London, it is the world's oldest national broadcaster, and the largest broadcaster in the world by number of employees.

• Royal Society for the Protection of Birds - Charity

  The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds is a charitable organisation registered in England and Wales and in Scotland. It was founded in 1889.

• United Kingdom - Country in Europe

  The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country located off the north­western coast of the European mainland.