Photo: Donald Macauley / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Montagu’s Harrier
Circus pygargus
Montagu's Harrier (Circus pygargus) — Birds of Prey of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 311 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Accipitriformes
- Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks, Eagles
- Genus Circus
- Species pygargus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 311 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Montagu’s Harrier preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Montagu’s Harrier is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus) belongs to the Accipitridae family of the order Accipitriformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL w Europe and nw Africa to c Asia.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 311 g, with a wing length of about 36.2 cm and a tail of around 22.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 6.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Montagu’s Harrier?
The Montagu’s Harrier is a large bird that weighs around 311 g.
Where does the Montagu’s Harrier live?
The Montagu’s Harrier is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL w Europe and nw Africa to c Asia, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Montagu’s Harrier belong to?
The Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Montagu’s Harrier eat?
The Montagu’s Harrier preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Montagu’s Harrier migrate?
The Montagu’s Harrier is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Montagu’s Harrier endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Montagu’s Harrier make?
1 real field recording of the Montagu’s Harrier — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Montagu’s Harrier's range?
The Montagu’s Harrier has a mapped global range of about 6.8 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Accipitridae
A field guide to the Accipitridae family — 254 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.