Will these rare raptors rise like a phoenix?
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Swooping from a top-secret location into the Bird of the Year final is the vanishingly rare and fabulously fierce Montagu’s Harrier. These breathtaking birds have long wings and tails and a slender body that weighs just 225-445g – that’s less than your typical bag of flour! Still, these lightweight raptors are anything but plain.
Monties are fast, focussed and have a love language that puts Shakespeare to shame. To woo his nest mates this year, male Monty’s Harrier 'AU' performed a TEN-DAY-LONG flirtatious display flight. What’s wrong with a voice note and a couple of rodents, we hear you ask? Answers on a postcard, friends.
For BoTY, 'AU' is bringing his dynamic sky dance routine to the stage in a bid to win your vote. The stunning performance will show off his awesome athleticism and aeronautical agility and is enough to make any raptor coo. We spoke to 'AU' during his rehearsal earlier today. He said:
Can I get your number?”
The answer, of course, was yes.
The UK’s Montagu’s Harriers migrate 6,000 miles from West Africa to breed every summer.
A male Monty’s Harrier’s plumage is battleship grey above and pale below. Females are barred brown above with paler, barred feathers below.
Just three breeding Monties’ nests were recorded in the UK across 2025 and 2026. All were served by 'AU' and, together, fledged 10 chicks!
As the facts suggest, Monty’s Harriers are having an incredibly tough time of it in the UK. Yet, estimates suggest there are roughly 300,000-550,000 Monties around the world. So, what’s behind their UK decline?
Monties nest in farmland and require natural, wide-open landscapes to thrive. Sadly, due to factors like the intensification of farming and early harvests, we lack the safe, suitable habitat to support a large population. Like all birds of prey, Monties are also at great risk of illegal persecution (for example, shooting, poisoning and trapping).
Finally, despite 'AU’s best efforts, a lack of male Montagu’s Harriers is also a problem in the UK. That’s why we push for a move to nature-friendly farming practices and team up with farmers to protect any nesting Monties found, giving them the best chance of success. But will you give this tragedy a happy ending?
