7 April 2025
LIFE SOS Pygargus: the "Save the Montagu’s harrier" campaign kicks off to protect nests and reduce mortality
Male Montagu's harrier. Photo: Filippo Guidantoni/Palombar.
The "Save the Montagu's harrier" campaign has already started in Portugal and western Spain, with the main objective of protecting the nests of this endangered bird in order to increase its reproductive success and reduce chick mortality, an essential action to ensure its survival. Developed as part of the LIFE SOS Pygargus project - Urgent conservation actions to sustain Portuguese and transborder populations of the Montagu’s harrier, it relies on the fundamental collaboration of farmers.
The campaign, coordinated with other more comprehensive and multisectoral measures, focuses on monitoring this species in its main distribution areas in western Iberia by project partners and volunteers; identifying nests to ensure their protection; rescuing eggs and chicks from nests that cannot be protected; and raising awareness and involving farmers, whose collaboration is essential to the success of these efforts.
The Montagu's harrier (Circus pygargus) is a migratory bird that winters in Africa and returns to Portugal and Spain in the spring, where it nests and remains in its breeding grounds between March and September. In Portugal, this bird has “Endangered” status, and its population has declined by 80% in ten years. There is also a strong downward trend in Spain, where its status is "Vulnerable" and is currently under review.
It nests on the ground, mainly in agricultural fields with cereals or fodder, and depends on this habitat for feeding and breeding. Every year, several factors threaten the species, causing mortality and/or a significant reduction in breeding success, putting its survival at risk. One important factor is habitat loss due to the sharp decline in the area sown with cereals and the switch to other permanent crops or other types of land use. The replacement of cereal grain areas with fodder crops and climate changes have significantly increased harvesting activities during the nesting period of this species, with a strong impact on breeding pairs due to the unintentional destruction of nests and increased predation rates.
The collaboration of farmers with conservationists and scientists is therefore essential to help identify nests and enable the implementation of measures to protect them and reduce threats, such as the installation of fences to ensure their safety during agricultural activities and prevent attacks by predatory species, such as foxes, for example.
Farmers who protect the species earn benefits: in the field and through agri-environmental support
This species is a true ally of farmers. A single pair of Montagu's harriers eats more than 1,000 animals harmful to agricultural crops during the breeding season, such as insects, small rodents and birds. With this species in the fields, there is greater crop production potential and ecological balance. Farmers who collaborate and protect Montagu’s harrier nests on their land can obtain agri-environmental support from the Government.
Eggs and chicks rescued from nests that cannot be protected
The campaign aims to ensure the protection of nests in the natural environment, allowing pairs to nest naturally and chicks to develop, grow and thrive in the field. However, when this is not possible, the project teams will rescue the eggs and/or chicks to save them. The eggs will be artificially incubated in specialised institutions and centres in Portugal and Spain. The chicks, whether from artificially incubated eggs or rescued from nests, will then be transferred to a captive breeding programme at the respective centres and institutions, where they can develop.
Rescued chicks integrated into a hacking programme and returned to the wild
When they reach the appropriate age, the rescued individuals will be integrated into a hacking programme, both in Portugal and Spain. This programme aims to recover and strengthen the population of this bird in a specific area, enhancing its philopatry instinct, which is the predisposition of a species to establish its breeding territory in the same place where it was born or spent the first weeks of its life.
It consists of placing the chicks in a structure installed in the natural environment where they will develop until at least 45 days of age and acquire vital inter- and intraspecific skills, such as hunting for food, identifying dangers and interacting with the natural environment, until they are finally released gradually and safely. In this structure, all necessary care and monitoring are provided, avoiding contact with humans as much as possible.
There will also be tutor harriers to help the chicks gain autonomy so that they can be successfully returned to the wild. The Montagu’s harriers included in this programme will be ringed and equipped with GPS/GSM devices to ensure their medium/long-term monitoring and to obtain valuable information for their protection.
"Friends of the Montagu's harrier" network: everyone counts in saving this bird, join us!
Saving the Montagu's harrier in Portugal and western Spain is a “Herculean” task that requires great effort and, above all, citizen and multisectoral collaboration. For this reason, as part of this project, the "Friends of the Montagu's harrier" network is also being created, which anyone can join: farmers who want to help save their ally in the fields; volunteers committed to biodiversity conservation who want to support the teams during field actions, such as rescue campaigns; entities and companies with an environmental commitment that can finance actions, among others, individually or collectively. Join the network and play an active role in this shared mission to save this endangered species. Contact us by email at geral@sospygargus.pt.
About the project
LIFE SOS Pygargus - Urgent conservation actions to sustain Portuguese and transborder populations of the Montagu’s harrier is an Iberian project that brings together conservationists, farmers, scientists and public and private entities in an unprecedented effort to save this migratory bird from imminent extinction in some of its main areas of distribution in the Iberian Peninsula.
It combines nature conservation and agriculture to protect this species, which is fundamental to the balance of ecosystems. It is 75% funded by the European Union's LIFE programme and co-funded by Viridia – Conservation in Action, Lightsource bp and the Environmental Fund.
It is implemented by a consortium comprising Palombar – Conservação da Natureza e do Património Rural (coordinating entity), BIOPOLIS-CIBIO Association, AEPGA - Associação para o Estudo e Proteção do Gado Asinino, ANPOC - Associação Nacional de Produtores de Proteaginosas, Oleaginosas e Cereais, CCDR-N - Comissão de Coordenação e Desenvolvimento Regional do Norte, EDIA - Empresa de Desenvolvimento e Infraestruturas do Alqueva SA, ICNF - Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e das Florestas, INIAV - Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, LPN - Liga para a Protecção da Natureza, MC Shared Services SA, Modelo Continente Hipermercados SA, SPEA - Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves, UTAD - Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vita Nativa - Conservação do Ambiente, AMUS - Acción por el Mundo Salvaje, Consejeria de Agricultura, Ganaderia y Desarrollo Sostenible - Junta de Extremadura, GREFA - Grupo de Rehabilitación de la Fauna Autóctona y su Hábitat and the University of Murcia.
The campaign, coordinated with other more comprehensive and multisectoral measures, focuses on monitoring this species in its main distribution areas in western Iberia by project partners and volunteers; identifying nests to ensure their protection; rescuing eggs and chicks from nests that cannot be protected; and raising awareness and involving farmers, whose collaboration is essential to the success of these efforts.
Male Montagu's harrier. Photo: Filippo Guidantoni/Palombar.
Monitoring. Photo: Palombar.
The Montagu's harrier (Circus pygargus) is a migratory bird that winters in Africa and returns to Portugal and Spain in the spring, where it nests and remains in its breeding grounds between March and September. In Portugal, this bird has “Endangered” status, and its population has declined by 80% in ten years. There is also a strong downward trend in Spain, where its status is "Vulnerable" and is currently under review.
It nests on the ground, mainly in agricultural fields with cereals or fodder, and depends on this habitat for feeding and breeding. Every year, several factors threaten the species, causing mortality and/or a significant reduction in breeding success, putting its survival at risk. One important factor is habitat loss due to the sharp decline in the area sown with cereals and the switch to other permanent crops or other types of land use. The replacement of cereal grain areas with fodder crops and climate changes have significantly increased harvesting activities during the nesting period of this species, with a strong impact on breeding pairs due to the unintentional destruction of nests and increased predation rates.
Montagu’s harrier nest. Photo: Palombar.
The collaboration of farmers with conservationists and scientists is therefore essential to help identify nests and enable the implementation of measures to protect them and reduce threats, such as the installation of fences to ensure their safety during agricultural activities and prevent attacks by predatory species, such as foxes, for example.
Farmers who protect the species earn benefits: in the field and through agri-environmental support
This species is a true ally of farmers. A single pair of Montagu's harriers eats more than 1,000 animals harmful to agricultural crops during the breeding season, such as insects, small rodents and birds. With this species in the fields, there is greater crop production potential and ecological balance. Farmers who collaborate and protect Montagu’s harrier nests on their land can obtain agri-environmental support from the Government.
Protected nest. Photo: Filippo Guidantoni/Palombar.
Eggs and chicks rescued from nests that cannot be protected
The campaign aims to ensure the protection of nests in the natural environment, allowing pairs to nest naturally and chicks to develop, grow and thrive in the field. However, when this is not possible, the project teams will rescue the eggs and/or chicks to save them. The eggs will be artificially incubated in specialised institutions and centres in Portugal and Spain. The chicks, whether from artificially incubated eggs or rescued from nests, will then be transferred to a captive breeding programme at the respective centres and institutions, where they can develop.
Rescued chicks integrated into a hacking programme and returned to the wild
When they reach the appropriate age, the rescued individuals will be integrated into a hacking programme, both in Portugal and Spain. This programme aims to recover and strengthen the population of this bird in a specific area, enhancing its philopatry instinct, which is the predisposition of a species to establish its breeding territory in the same place where it was born or spent the first weeks of its life.
It consists of placing the chicks in a structure installed in the natural environment where they will develop until at least 45 days of age and acquire vital inter- and intraspecific skills, such as hunting for food, identifying dangers and interacting with the natural environment, until they are finally released gradually and safely. In this structure, all necessary care and monitoring are provided, avoiding contact with humans as much as possible.
Rescued chick. Photo: Filippo Guidantoni/Palombar.
There will also be tutor harriers to help the chicks gain autonomy so that they can be successfully returned to the wild. The Montagu’s harriers included in this programme will be ringed and equipped with GPS/GSM devices to ensure their medium/long-term monitoring and to obtain valuable information for their protection.
"Friends of the Montagu's harrier" network: everyone counts in saving this bird, join us!
Saving the Montagu's harrier in Portugal and western Spain is a “Herculean” task that requires great effort and, above all, citizen and multisectoral collaboration. For this reason, as part of this project, the "Friends of the Montagu's harrier" network is also being created, which anyone can join: farmers who want to help save their ally in the fields; volunteers committed to biodiversity conservation who want to support the teams during field actions, such as rescue campaigns; entities and companies with an environmental commitment that can finance actions, among others, individually or collectively. Join the network and play an active role in this shared mission to save this endangered species. Contact us by email at geral@sospygargus.pt.
Montagu’s harrier chick. Photo: Palombar.
About the project
LIFE SOS Pygargus - Urgent conservation actions to sustain Portuguese and transborder populations of the Montagu’s harrier is an Iberian project that brings together conservationists, farmers, scientists and public and private entities in an unprecedented effort to save this migratory bird from imminent extinction in some of its main areas of distribution in the Iberian Peninsula.
It combines nature conservation and agriculture to protect this species, which is fundamental to the balance of ecosystems. It is 75% funded by the European Union's LIFE programme and co-funded by Viridia – Conservation in Action, Lightsource bp and the Environmental Fund.
It is implemented by a consortium comprising Palombar – Conservação da Natureza e do Património Rural (coordinating entity), BIOPOLIS-CIBIO Association, AEPGA - Associação para o Estudo e Proteção do Gado Asinino, ANPOC - Associação Nacional de Produtores de Proteaginosas, Oleaginosas e Cereais, CCDR-N - Comissão de Coordenação e Desenvolvimento Regional do Norte, EDIA - Empresa de Desenvolvimento e Infraestruturas do Alqueva SA, ICNF - Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e das Florestas, INIAV - Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, LPN - Liga para a Protecção da Natureza, MC Shared Services SA, Modelo Continente Hipermercados SA, SPEA - Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves, UTAD - Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vita Nativa - Conservação do Ambiente, AMUS - Acción por el Mundo Salvaje, Consejeria de Agricultura, Ganaderia y Desarrollo Sostenible - Junta de Extremadura, GREFA - Grupo de Rehabilitación de la Fauna Autóctona y su Hábitat and the University of Murcia.