Montagu's harrier, Circus pygargus, is a species of harrier, a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, that breeds across large open areas of the Western Palearctic from Portugal in the west to the Urals in the east, with some populations in North Africa. It is highly migratory, with Eurasian birds wintering in sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian subcontinent and some eastern birds traveling as far as South Africa. Adult males show pale grey plumage with black wingtips and rusty streaking on the belly, while females and juveniles look more like other harrier species. The bird hunts small rodents, birds, reptiles, and insects with a low, buoyant flight, nesting in open habitats such as grasslands and agricultural land, and although listed as Least Concern its numbers have declined significantly since the 1940s due to pesticide use and intensive farming. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Facts
Classification
System (Realm) Living or Extinct Scientific Name Conservation Status Comparison
CITES Appendix Connections
Child Taxon Of
Circus, Taxa Source Montagu's harrier (Wikidata)
In Biome
Source Montagu's harrier (Wikipedia)
Source Montagu's harrier (Wikipedia)
In Ecosystem
Source Wikidata: Gorse
Additional Source Heath (Wikipedia)Article text
In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Sources
1. EltonTraits 1.0 (Wilman et al. 2014)
2. GBIF Species API
3. Montagu's harrier (Wikidata)
Wikidata- Wikidata Q26574 (P225 taxon name)
Statements section, conservation status (P141)
IUCN Red List conservation status (Wikidata property P141): least concern.
- Child Taxon Of: Circus, Wikidata P171 (parent taxon)
View the Source 4. UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat): Species+: Circus pygargus
UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat)Species+ taxon_concepts, id 3702Quote, Species+ taxon_concepts, id 3702
"rank":"SPECIES","name_status":"A","updated_at":"2026-05-06T11:22:56.043Z","active":true,"cites_listing":"II"
View the Source 5. Montagu's harrier (Wikipedia)
Infobox: status
LC
In Biome: Freshwater Marsh, Habitat
It can breed in wetlands, though these are often smaller and drier than those used by the marsh harrier.
In Biome: Wetlands, Habitat
It can breed in wetlands, though these are often smaller and drier than those used by the marsh harrier.
In Biome: Steppe, Habitat
It also utilizes heaths, dunes, moors, and can be found in the steppe.
View the SourceHeath (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIn Ecosystem: Heath, Article textQuote, In Ecosystem: Heath, Article text
In the depauperate heathlands of Europe, bird species tend to be more characteristic of the community, and include Montagu's harrier and the tree pipit.
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