Montagu’s Harrier, also known as the circus gnome, has returned to Spain after a winter migration that carried it from Africa across more than 3,000 kilometers. Now found in the grain fields of Castilla y Leon, Castilla-La Mancha, Andalusia, and Extremadura, the species is spending the summer on the Iberian Peninsula after the migration. The first Montagu’s Harriers arrived at the end of March, and the remaining birds are expected to settle into breeding grounds across the peninsula this month.
The latest census coordinated by SEO BirdLife in 2017 recorded between 4,269 and 5,360 breeding pairs in Spain. This represented a decline of roughly 23 to 27 percent over a decade compared with the 2006 counts, which ranged from 5,818 to 6,934 pairs. Badajoz province held the highest number of pairs, exceeding a thousand.
Spain remains the country with the largest population of Montagu’s Harrier in Europe, followed by France with an estimated 3,800 to 5,100 pairs and Poland with about 3,000 to 4,000 pairs. The NGO emphasizes that Spain shoulders a significant responsibility for the species global conservation and calls for actions accordingly.
The organization noted that Montagu’s Harrier is closely tied to extensive cereal fields, particularly wheat and barley, where it nests in the absence of the traditional vast pastures that define its preferred habitat elsewhere.
In exchange for shelter within the crops, Montagu’s Harrier preys on voles, mice, grasshoppers, small reptiles, and other carnivorous birds, helping to regulate pest populations.
campaign to save nests
Intensification of agriculture, pesticide use, earlier harvests, the spread of woody crops, and the loss of hedgerows and fallows threaten this species. It is listed as Sensitive in the Spanish Red Book of Birds.
One factor reducing populations during grain harvest is the increased clutch loss and higher chick mortality when harvest overlaps with the breeding season.
To protect nests during harvest, SEO BirdLife collaborates with local groups and volunteers to provide farmers with tools, funds, and compensation measures that prevent eggs and chicks from being destroyed by combines.
A campaign to save Montagu’s Harrier nests will soon begin with the aim of detecting nesting slots and signaling harvest pauses to protect chicks and eggs.
SEO BirdLife also promotes measures linked to agricultural practices in cereal crops. Harvest delays, protection of borders, and the development of fallows are part of a strategy to support biodiversity on at least ten percent of cultivated land.
The protectors fundraisers support volunteers and provide compensation to farmers for biodiversity conservation efforts. Officials report that more than five thousand euros have been raised so far to aid nest protection.
Infrastructure threat
Harvest dates are shifting earlier due to the use of early maturing varieties and climate variability. Early spring conditions with low precipitation and unusually high temperatures create challenging circumstances for the harrier during the breeding period, notes a SEO BirdLife technician.
An additional threat comes from infrastructure development. Wind and solar projects along with new power lines are being planned or installed in areas critical to the species, and there is a push to avoid developing infrastructure in sensitive zones.
SEO BirdLife advocates for adjusting energy project timelines to minimize impacts during the breeding season in Spain, and to explore pause periods during key months to assess possibilities for reducing disturbances.
The Bird of the Year campaign supports several actions to protect Montagu’s Harrier and other dependent species. One priority is requesting changes to agricultural policy under the Common Agricultural Policy to better support biodiversity in farming systems.
In addition to breeding challenges, the Harrier also faces threats in its African wintering grounds in the Sahel. Human population growth, deforestation, and wetland drainage, along with crop expansion into marginal lands, threaten the species during all life stages.
Fundraising efforts to protect Montagu’s Harrier nests are ongoing. Attribution for support can be found through dedicated biodiversity funds and NGO campaigns. Further updates and support opportunities are coordinated by conservation organizations and partner groups.
For more information on ongoing conservation actions and ways to help, interested readers are encouraged to consult official NGO communications and local conservation networks dedicated to Montagu’s Harrier and its habitat.