Hawks and eagles
Montagu's Harrier
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Circus pygargus
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How to recognize it
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Slender harrier with long narrow wings and a long tail
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Low, steady flight close to the ground; wings often held in a V
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Male: pale grey above, black primaries, rusty streaks below
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Female: brown above, white rump, narrow white stripe along the underwing
About the species
Montagu's Harrier gives an airy impression, with long narrow wings and a stretched tail. In flight it stays low over the ground, moving with a calm, almost floating ease.
Its manner is quiet but striking when it performs. The male’s courtship flight comes with a thin, repeated whistle, while near the nest the calls turn softer and тревожнее; it hunts by gliding low or by dropping onto prey after skimming along tall vegetation.
It chooses open country, often damp meadows, river valleys, marsh edges, and sometimes cereal fields. Its food includes small rodents, lizards, insects, and small avian prey, and it also takes eggs and nestlings; by autumn it leaves for wintering grounds in Africa and Asia.
Where to find
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On wide open lawns, wastelands, and meadow-like edges where the grass is a bit tall and shrubs line the side — Montagu's Harrier skims low over the ground while hunting.
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Along muddy pond edges, canal banks, and reedy lake fringes — especially in the morning, flying just above the reeds and rushes.
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At field edges and big unmown grassy strips — look for the slow searching flight, then a sudden drop into the vegetation.
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Near vacant lots with young plantings and dry scrub — the male may give itself away with a thin, nasal whistle and circling over the open patch.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Circus pygargus Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Montagu's harrier Encyclopedia article