Conservationists in the United Kingdom have been tirelessly working to prevent a rare species of bird from disappearing entirely. Recent efforts to protect the Montagu’s harrier’s British population have been notably successful, largely due to the exceptional breeding abilities of one male bird known as AU. This 10-year-old bird has fathered a remarkable 16 offspring during his lifetime, with 10 of them being born in the past two years.
Mark Thomas, a conservationist and the species lead for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), emphasized AU’s crucial role in sustaining the species in the U.K. He described the male bird as the primary force behind the species’ survival in the country.
Montagu’s harriers are migratory birds that breed in Europe during the spring after spending their winters in Africa and parts of Asia. While the global population of these birds is declining, they are classified as a species of least concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List. In the U.K., the population of Montagu’s harriers has been rapidly decreasing, with only 13 breeding pairs reported in the mid-aughts after a period of zero pairs in the 1970s.
AU’s successful breeding efforts have been instrumental in the recent increase in the species’ population. The male bird, known for his acrobatic mating displays, has fathered six chicks this year with two mates. Conservationists are optimistic that AU’s offspring, particularly his sons, will contribute to the future breeding population in the U.K.
To protect the newly hatched chicks, conservationists have placed them in two nests located in a confidential area on a British farm. The nests are shielded by barriers to safeguard the young birds from predators and other dangers. Thomas expressed his enthusiasm for working with such a rare and exciting species, highlighting the responsibility of caring for the offspring of a bird with only two known nests in the entire U.K.
In a new initiative, the RSPB has fitted two juvenile Montagu’s harriers with satellite trackers to monitor their movements once they leave the nest. This tracking technology will provide valuable data on the birds’ migration patterns, potentially aiding in future conservation efforts. Thomas and his team are eagerly awaiting the results of this tracking project, as it marks the first time juveniles have been monitored in this manner.
