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Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus
IUCN Red List history
| Year | Category |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Least Concern |
| 2009 | Least Concern |
| 2008 | Least Concern |
| 2004 | Least Concern |
| 2000 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| 1994 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| 1988 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
Species attributes
| Migratory status | full migrant | Forest dependency | Does not normally occur in forest |
| Land mass type | Average mass | - |
Distribution
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2) | 9,420,000 | |
| Extent of Occurrence non-breeding (km2) | 12,500,000 | |
| Number of locations | - | |
| Fragmentation | - |
Population & trend
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of mature individuals | poor | Estimated | 2009 | |
| Population trend | Decreasing | - | ||
| Number of subpopulations | - | - | - | |
| Largest subpopulation | - | - | - | |
| Generation length (yrs) | 7.9 | - | - | - |
| Trend justification: The population is decreasing owing to over-use of pesticides and improved locust control, agricultural intensification and destruction of nests by farm machinery and loss of small mammal and bird prey species due to changing agricultural practices (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001). | ||||
Country/Territory distribution
| Country/Territory | Occurrence status | Extinct | Breeding | Non-breeding | Passage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Albania | Native | No | |||
| Algeria | Native | No | |||
| Andorra | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Armenia | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Austria | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Azerbaijan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Bahrain | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| Bangladesh | Vagrant | No | |||
| Belarus | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Belgium | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Benin | Native | No | |||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Botswana | Native | No | |||
| Bulgaria | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Burkina Faso | Native | No | |||
| Burundi | Native | No | |||
| Cameroon | Native | No | |||
| Cape Verde | Vagrant | No | |||
| Côte d'Ivoire | Native | No | |||
| Central African Republic | Native | No | |||
| Chad | Native | No | |||
| China (mainland) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Congo | Vagrant | No | |||
| Congo, The Democratic Republic of the | Native | No | |||
| Croatia | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Cyprus | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Czech Republic | Native | No | |||
| Denmark | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Djibouti | Native | No | |||
| Egypt | Native | No | |||
| Eritrea | Native | No | |||
| Estonia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Ethiopia | Native | No | |||
| Finland | Native | No | Yes | ||
| France | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Gambia | Native | No | |||
| Georgia | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Germany | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Ghana | Native | No | |||
| Gibraltar (to UK) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Greece | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Guinea | Native | No | |||
| Guinea-Bissau | Native | No | |||
| Hungary | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Iceland | Vagrant | No | |||
| India | Native | No | |||
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Iraq | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Ireland | Vagrant | No | |||
| Israel | Native | No | |||
| Italy | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Jordan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Kazakhstan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Kenya | Native | No | |||
| Kuwait | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Kyrgyzstan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Latvia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Lebanon | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Lesotho | Native | No | |||
| Liberia | Native | No | |||
| Libya | Native | No | |||
| Liechtenstein | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Lithuania | Native | No | |||
| Luxembourg | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Malawi | Native | No | |||
| Maldives | Native | No | |||
| Mali | Native | No | |||
| Malta | Native | No | |||
| Mauritania | Native | No | |||
| Moldova | Native | No | |||
| Montenegro | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Morocco | Native | No | |||
| Mozambique | Native | No | |||
| Namibia | Native | No | |||
| Nepal | Native | No | |||
| Netherlands | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Niger | Native | No | |||
| Nigeria | Native | No | |||
| Norway | Vagrant | No | |||
| Oman | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Pakistan | Native | No | |||
| Palestinian Authority Territories | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Poland | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Portugal | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Qatar | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Romania | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Russia (Asian) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Russia (Central Asian) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Russia (European) | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Rwanda | Native | No | |||
| Saudi Arabia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Senegal | Native | No | |||
| Serbia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Sierra Leone | Native | No | |||
| Slovakia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Slovenia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Somalia | Native | No | |||
| South Africa | Native | No | |||
| South Sudan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Spain | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Sri Lanka | Native | No | |||
| Sudan | Native | No | |||
| Swaziland | Native | No | |||
| Sweden | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Switzerland | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Syria | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Tajikistan | Native | No | |||
| Tanzania | Native | No | |||
| Togo | Native | No | |||
| Tunisia | Native | No | |||
| Turkey | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Turkmenistan | Native | No | |||
| Uganda | Native | No | |||
| Ukraine | Native | No | Yes | ||
| United Arab Emirates | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| United Kingdom | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Uzbekistan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Western Sahara | Native | No | |||
| Yemen | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Zambia | Native | No | |||
| Zimbabwe | Native | No |
Important Bird Areas where this species has triggered the IBA criteria
| Country/Territory | IBA Name | IBA link |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | Austrian part of Hanság |  |
| Austria | Southern Seewinkel and Zitzmannsdorfer Wiesen | |
| Belarus | Al'manskija baloty | |
| Belarus | Balota Zvaniec | |
| Belarus | Kaz'jany | |
| Belarus | Mid Prypiac' | |
| Belarus | Polesie Reserve | |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Livno karst field | |
| Bulgaria | Adata-Tundzha | |
| Bulgaria | Derventski Heights | |
| Bulgaria | Ruy Mountain | |
| Bulgaria | Sakar | |
| Bulgaria | Straldzha Complex | |
| Bulgaria | Western Strandzha | |
| Bulgaria | Zlatiata | |
| Estonia | Alam-Pedja | |
| Estonia | Nätsi-Võlla | |
| Estonia | Soomaa | |
| Estonia | Suursoo-Leidissoo | |
| Estonia | Tuhu-Kesu | |
| France | Anse de Fouras, baie d'Yves et marais de Rochefort | |
| France | Baie de Bourgneuf et marais breton | |
| France | Baie des Veys et Marais du Cotentin | |
| France | Barois et Forêt de Clairvaux | |
| France | Basse Vallée du Doubs : Dole Sud | |
| France | Basses Corbières | |
| France | Bassigny | |
| France | Bazoncourt-Vigy | |
| France | Brenne: Forêt de la Petite-Brenne | |
| France | Crau | |
| France | Estuaire de la Gironde : marais du Blayais | |
| France | Estuaire de la Gironde : marais du Nord Médoc | |
| France | Forêt de Citeaux et environs | |
| France | Fresnes-en-Woëvre-Mars-la-Tour | |
| France | Gorges de la Dourbie et causses avoisinants | |
| France | Gorges de la Sioule | |
| France | Gorges du Gardon | |
| France | Haut Val d'Allier | |
| France | Hautes garrigues du Montpellierais | |
| France | Ile d'Oléron, marais de Brouage-Saint-Agnant | |
| France | Les Couzes Nord | |
| France | Marais poitevin et baie de l'Aiguillon | |
| France | Marais salants de Noirmoutier | |
| France | Minervois | |
| France | Parc National des Cévennes | |
| France | Petite Beauce | |
| France | Plaine calcaire du sud Vendée | |
| France | Plaine de Niort (nord-ouest) | |
| France | Plaine de Niort (sud-est) | |
| France | Plaine du Forez | |
| France | Plaines de Saint-Jouin de Marne et d'Assais-les-Jumeaux | |
| France | Plateau de Delme, Val de Petite Seille | |
| France | Plateau de Valensole | |
| France | Plateaux agricoles des environs de Frencq | |
| France | Plateaux de Millevaches et de Gentioux | |
| France | Sologne Bourbonnaise | |
| France | Val d'Allier Bourbonnais | |
| France | Val de Chiers et environs de Spincourt | |
| France | Val de Saône | |
| France | Vallée de la Conie et Beauce centrale | |
| France | Vallée de la Loire : gorges de la Loire | |
| France | Vallée de la Saône de Corre à Broye | |
| France | Zones agricoles de la Hardt | |
| Hungary | Alkaline pusztas of Upper Kiskunság | |
| Hungary | Bodrogzug–Taktaköz | |
| Hungary | Hanság | |
| Hungary | Hortobágy and Tisza-to | |
| Hungary | Szigetköz | |
| Lithuania | Agricultural land near the Kalvarija settlement | |
| Lithuania | Birzulius-Stervas marshes complex | |
| Lithuania | Exploited Sulinkiai peatbog | |
| Lithuania | Kamanos Strict NR | |
| Lithuania | Tyruliai State Nature Reserve | |
| Lithuania | Verkne river | |
| Lithuania | Zuvintas Biosphere Reserve | |
| Netherlands | Lauwersmeer | |
| Poland | Biebrza river valley | |
| Poland | Bzura River Valley | |
| Poland | Chelm calcareous marshes | |
| Poland | Lower Bug river valley | |
| Poland | Middle Bug river valley | |
| Poland | Upper Narew River Valley | |
| Poland | Upper Nurzec River Valley | |
| Poland | Warmia Site | |
| Poland | Wizna Swamps | |
| Poland | Wkra and Mlawka Rivers Valleys | |
| Portugal | Campo Maior | |
| Portugal | Castro Verde plains | |
| Portugal | Cuba | |
| Portugal | Estrela Mountains | |
| Portugal | Gerês mountains | |
| Portugal | Malcata mountains | |
| Portugal | Monforte plains | |
| Portugal | Montesinho and Nogueira mountains | |
| Portugal | Mourão, Moura e Barrancos | |
| Portugal | River Guadiana | |
| Portugal | Sabôr and Maçãs | |
| Portugal | Serra de Penha Garcia e Campina de Toulões | |
| Portugal | Serras do Alvão e Marão | |
| Portugal | Tejo estuary | |
| Portugal | Vila Fernando | |
| Romania | Aliman - Adamclisi | |
| Romania | Babadag wood | |
| Romania | Câmpia Crişurilor | |
| Romania | Câmpia Nirului - Valea lerului | |
| Romania | Cefa fish-ponds and Radvani wood | |
| Romania | Danube Delta | |
| Romania | Dobrogei gorge | |
| Romania | Hagieni forest | |
| Romania | Jijiei şi Miletinului fish-ponds | |
| Romania | Kogălniceanu - Gura Ialomiţei | |
| Spain | Azuaga-Llerena-Peraleda de Zaucejo | |
| Spain | Bardenas Reales | |
| Spain | Bienvenida-Usagre-Ribera del Fresno | |
| Spain | Carrión-Frómista | |
| Spain | Córdoba countryside | |
| Spain | Cinca river rice fields and steppe area | |
| Spain | Condado-Campiña | |
| Spain | Jaén countryside | |
| Spain | La Cabrera mountain range | |
| Spain | La Limia | |
| Spain | La Serena | |
| Spain | Lerida steppes | |
| Spain | Montes Aquilanos range | |
| Spain | Oropesa plains | |
| Spain | Pela mountain range-Orellana reservoir-Zorita | |
| Spain | Plain between Cáceres and Trujillo-Aldea del Cano | |
| Spain | Prat de Cabanes-Torreblanca | |
| Spain | Quipar reservoir, Molino mountain range and Cagitán plains | |
| Spain | Talamanca-Camarma | |
| Spain | Tierra de Campiñas steppes | |
| Spain | Tierra de Campos steppes | |
| Spain | Trujillo-Torrecillas de la Tiesa | |
| Turkey | Balıkdamı | |
| Turkey | Bulanık and Malazgirt Plains | |
| Turkey | Eşmekaya Marshes | |
| Turkey | Tuz Lake | |
| Turkey | Yüksekova | |
| Ukraine | Chonovyny marsh | |
| Ukraine | Forests in Dnipro and Desna valleys | |
| Ukraine | Pryp'yat' river valley | |
| Ukraine | Samars'kyj forest | |
| Ukraine | Shats'ki lakes | |
| Ukraine | Turiya river valley | |
| United Kingdom | The Wash | |
| United Kingdom | The Wash | |
Habitats & altitude
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Arable Land | suitable | non-breeding |
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Arable Land | suitable | breeding |
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Plantations | suitable | breeding |
| Grassland | Subtropical/Tropical Dry | suitable | non-breeding |
| Grassland | Subtropical/Tropical High Altitude | suitable | non-breeding |
| Grassland | Temperate | suitable | breeding |
| Shrubland | Temperate | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands | suitable | non-breeding |
| Altitude | 0 - 4000 m | Occasional altitudinal limits |
Utilisation
| Purpose | Primary form used | Life stage used | Source | Scale | Level | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pets | Whole | Adults and juveniles | Wild | International | Trivial | Recent |
| Sport | Whole | Adults and juveniles | Wild | Subsistence, National | Non-trivial | Recent |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Circus pygargus. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013.
This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Current IUCN Red List category | Least Concern |
| Family | Accipitridae (Osprey, kites, hawks and eagles) |
| Species name author | (Linnaeus, 1758) |
| Population size | mature individuals |
| Population trend | Decreasing |
| Distribution size (breeding/resident) | 9,420,000 km2 |
| Country endemic? | No |
| Links to further information | |
| - Summary information on this species | |
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