KEY SPECIES

PALLID HARRIER

Once upon a time, the Pallid Harrier was a mystical bird that UK birders dreamt about seeing. Now, thanks to their range expanding westwards, Pallid Harrier sightings have increased phenomenally and it probably won’t be long before they are classed as scarce migrants. Smaller and daintier than the Hen Harrier, the Pallid was historically a denizen of the southern parts of Eastern Europe and into Central Asia, wintering in India and southeast Asia. Its flight is more graceful than the Monatgu’s Harrier, although, despite this, females and immature birds can be tricky to identify for the unwary. In Batumi, come September, it is more likely to be seen than the more numerous Montagu’s Harriers that mostly pass through earlier in the season.