Montagu’s harriers are slender, long-winged birds of prey that migrate thousands of miles to Africa each winter before returning to Europe in summer to breed, often nesting on farmland.
Despite their remarkable migration, little is known about the movements and behavior of young Montagu’s harriers after they leave the nest. For the first time, the RSPB has fitted two chicks with satellite tags to track their journeys and help protect this endangered species.
Mark Thomas, head of research at the RSPB, said: “For the first time, this technology allows us to understand where young harriers go, which migration routes they follow, how long they stay in each location and whether they return to the UK in their first or second year.”
“All of that information is the missing piece of the jigsaw.”
Researchers also hope satellite tagging will help protect Montagu’s harrier nests, which are often hidden on the ground or within crops and can be accidentally destroyed during farming operations.
“This is truly an endangered species, and climate change is making its survival even more difficult. The harvest in the UK was around a month earlier than usual this year, meaning Montagu’s harrier nests faced a greater risk of being inadvertently destroyed by farm machinery,” Mr Thomas said.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk