Rarest breeding birds raise four healthy chicks
The adult male was traced back to an RSPB nest, while the adult female was traced back to France.
A pair of Montagu’s harriers, Britain’s rarest breeding birds, have raised four healthy chicks.
The youngsters made their first flights at the end of July, marking the first successful nesting of the species in England since 2019.
Despite the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) recording nine successful Montagu’s harrier nests in 2011, the species’ breeding population has continued to decrease. In 2021, they were officially placed on the UK Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern.
However, in May, an adult male and adult female were seen at a now secret location in England.
With hopes that the pair would breed, the RSPB located the nest with the licensed use of a drone. It was then closely monitored by a volunteer birdwatcher and the RSPB.
Both the adult birds were ringed, which meant the RSPB was able to identify them from photographs. The male had hatched from a UK nest in 2015, whereas the female was tracked to a nest in France in 2023.
Once they were sure the chicks had hatched, the RSPB entered the field under licence to install a protective fence to safeguard the nest from ground predators.
Conservationists are now hopeful that the birds will migrate safely to Africa, before returning to breed in 2026.
Mark Thomas, Montagu’s harrier species lead, 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. This Anglo-French alliance could just be the springboard needed to save this species in Britain.”
The farmer of the land, who is remaining anonymous to protect the location, 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.”
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