Montagu's Harrier

3 months ago door Dennis Versteeg

Points: 60

Spotted

Montagu's Harrier is a slim and elegant raptor, slightly smaller than the Hen Harrier. It is widely distributed across much of Europe and parts of Asia, frequently seen hunting over agricultural fields.

Where to spot

Inhabits open agricultural landscapes, heathlands, wet grasslands, and steppes across Europe and parts of Asia, wintering in Africa and India.

How to spot

Look for its elegant, buoyant flight with wings held in a V-shape. Males have a distinctive black bar on the upperwing and rufous streaks below. Females and juveniles are brownish with a white rump, often showing a streaky breast.

When to spot

Primarily observed during the breeding season (spring/summer) in its European and Asian range, and during migration/winter in its African and Indian wintering grounds.

Where to spot

Inhabits open agricultural landscapes, heathlands, wet grasslands, and steppes across Europe and parts of Asia, wintering in Africa and India.

How to spot

When to spot

Primarily observed during the breeding season (spring/summer) in its European and Asian range, and during migration/winter in its African and Indian wintering grounds.

Grauwe Kiekendief in vlucht boven een graanveld

Credits: Door Cks3976 - Eigen werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17854504

Credits: Wikimedia Commons

Montagu's Harriers often nest colonially in dense vegetation, sometimes even sharing breeding grounds with other harrier species, a relatively unusual behavior for birds of prey.

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