Harrier hunt ends in heartbreak

An international internet search was launched among conservationists after one of the UK’S rarest breeding birds of prey went missing during its return from winter migration.

Researchers have now accounted for the Montagu’s harrier, which vanished after leaving West Africa for its summer breeding ground in the UK. But the news is not good.

Just four pairs of Montagu’s harriers are known to have nested in England last year, including James – a male bird fitted with a lightweight satellite tag. Transmissions showed it began its journey to Britain on April 2. However, its signal stopped in a mountainous area in Algeria. The RSPB took to social media to alert conservationists in the area who located the bird which had unfortunately been killed.

The RSPB is asking the public to report other sightings of the returning birds to montys@rspb.org.uk.