Montagu's Harrier - 2016

Very scarce - three records since 2000.

Source: Pembrokeshire Bird List (2018 update) edited by Mike Young-Powell on behalf of the Pembrokeshire Bird Group.

Montagu's Harrier - 1949 status

Circus pygargus

Has bred in the county since 1924 and possibly for twenty years earlier.  Mathew records a nest at Leweston in 1854 as only known occurrence.

R.M.Lockley, G.C.S.Ingram, H.M.Salmon, 1949, The Birds of Pembrokeshire, The West Wales Field Society

Montagu's Harrier - 1994

Passage migrant

Montagu's Harriers formerly bred in four main areas in Pembrokeshire, in the south broadly between Tenby and Castle Martin Corse, around Leweston, in the St David's area and in the Preseli Mountains, but they have not done so since 1962, or possibly 1968. All records were from moorland or marshy habitat and probably involved a maximum of five pairs.

The Montagu's Harrier is now an annual migrant more frequently seen in the spring, from 12 April to 10 June, than in the autumn, from 12 July to 22 October. It has been recorded in 18 of the last 24 years at localities ranging from the offshore islands across most coastal areas to the Preseli Mountains. A juvenile wintered on Skomer in 1988-1989.

Donovan J.W. & Rees G.H (1994), Birds of Pembrokeshire

Montagu's Harrier - 1970s breeding

Red = breeding confirmed

Orange = breeding probable

Yellow = breeding possible

Montagu's Harrier - 1894

Species account from M Mathew, 1894, "The Birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands"

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