UK’s rarest breeding bird raises chicks for second year running

London: The UK’s rarest bird of prey has bred chicks for the second consecutive year at a secret location in England.

Six Montagu’s harrier chicks were raised at two separate nests this summer, according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). It compares to the four raised in 2025.

Montagu’s harriers failed to breed in the UK between 2020 and 2024, and were added to the country’s ‘red list’ of at-risk birds in 2021.

“We are doing our absolute utmost to save this iconic species in the UK and are delighted with six flying juveniles this year,” said the RSPB’s Mark Thomas. “The satellite-tagging of juveniles for the first ever time should give us a direct insight into their migration, survival and when and where they return to the UK.”