Full Breakdown
Montagu’s Harrier Breeding Success at a Secret English Farm
8/25/2026, 10:33:18 PM
Core Event: Second Consecutive Year of Successful Nesting
A male Montagu’s harrier, leg-ring “AU,” bred with two females at a concealed farmland site in England, raising three chicks in each of two nests for a total of six fledglings. The RSPB announced the outcome in a press release on August 24, 2026. The nests were protected by fences and monitored with the land-owning farmers.
Background & Context
Montagu’s harriers are the UK’s rarest bird of prey and were placed on the RSPB’s “red list” in 2021 after a decline from nine successful nests in 2011 to none recorded between 2020 and 2024. The species had disappeared from breeding in the 1970s before modest recoveries in the 2000s.
Data & Statistics
- Six juveniles fledged in 2026 (three per nest).
- Four chicks were raised in the same location in 2025, the first successful breeding since 2019.
- The male “AU” was ringed as a chick in 2016 in Wiltshire; he is now about ten years old.
- Satellite tags, each costing £3,000, were fitted to two juvenile females to track a 7,000-mile migration to West Africa.
Official Statements & Responses
The RSPB said the secret location is essential to minimise disturbance, noting the farms have “no public access” and that the nests are vulnerable during early harvests. It highlighted a collaborative effort with farmers, describing the fencing and monitoring as “a true team effort” that protects the birds from ground predators such as foxes. Mark Thomas, the RSPB’s Montagu’s harrier species lead, warned that earlier harvests linked to climate change increase the risk of nest loss.
On-the-Ground Reports
BBC footage captured the male’s distinctive feeding technique: dropping prey mid-air while the female rolls upside-down to seize it with her talons. The footage also showed the “acrobatic” courtship displays—high-altitude dives, loops and rapid vocalisations—that attracted the two new breeding females to AU’s territory.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
No source provided a detailed breakdown of the earlier chick count, leaving the total figure unverified beyond the CNN claim. While satellite tags will reveal migration routes, post-migration survival rates of juvenile harriers remain unknown.
Verbatim Quotes
- “AU is truly awesome, he is single-handedly propping up this species in the UK with his amazing display flights in May being rewarded by attracting two new breeding females, seemingly out of thin air.” — Mark Thomas
- “We are doing our absolute utmost to save this iconic species in the UK and are delighted with six flying juveniles this year.” — RSPB spokesperson
