Family: Accipitridae
A male Montagu's harrier.
Medium-sized bird of prey, with long and slim wings. The two sexes of this species are quite different: males are light gray across the head and back, whereas females are brown and considerably darker, as well as larger.
This is a migratory species. During breeding season, it’s extant from the Iberian Peninsula and the north coast of Africa to central Asia. It’s especially common in Russia, whereas in western Europe the largest populations are in France and Spain. During the colder months, it migrates to the south, with most individuals in Sub-Saharan Africa and India.
Its main habitat consists of large, open plains without many trees, especially grasslands. It builds its nest directly on the ground, as a small mound of vegetation covered with grass.
In Spain in particular, it’s a species closely tied to human agriculture. The grasslands it inhabits are often cereal fields, especially wheat and barley. It’s catalogued as a vulnerable speciesLibro Rojo de las Aves de España – 2021, in large part due to this very habitat. The mechanization of the harvest and early breeds of cereal result in many chicks dying under a harvester’s blades before they can leave the nest. Other big threats for this species are the use of pesticides and poisons.