Rare Bird Chick Killed by Train During Migration

One of six chicks born to Britain's rarest bird of prey, the Montagu's Harrier, has been killed by a train. The young bird was one of a brood hatched earlier this year at a secret location and was being tracked by satellite as it began its migration south to Africa for the winter.

Conservationists became concerned when the bird's tag registered a temperature consistent with death in England, while location data indicated it had traveled at high speed along an east-to-west railway line. With the assistance of rail officials, the body of the Montagu's Harrier was recovered from the tracks. Mark Thomas, RSPB species lead, confirmed the bird had been struck by a train and carried along the route, noting the tag remained functional.

Montagu's Harriers, named after British naturalist George Montagu, are migratory birds that breed in Europe and winter in Africa. The species was placed on the UK's 'red list' of endangered birds five years ago. Between 2020 and 2024, there was no evidence of the harriers breeding in the UK. However, six chicks fledged from two nests this year, a development the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) called a cause for delight.

Information from the satellite tags revealed the varied journeys of the young birds. One juvenile, identified as HV, successfully migrated through the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and France. Another was sighted at RSPB Minsmere in the UK. The father of this year's chicks, identified as AU, was ringed as a chick in Wiltshire in 2016 and appeared to have returned to breed for the first time since 2019.

The nesting sites were kept secret and protected from predators with fences. Last year, four chicks successfully fledged from the same farmland site, offering hope for the species' survival in the country. Three of these birds returned to Britain this summer.

RSPB stated they are doing their utmost to save the iconic species in the UK. Thomas added that climate change poses challenges, citing earlier harvests this year which could endanger nests located in agricultural fields. Montagu's Harriers typically nest on the ground in such fields, making them vulnerable to farm machinery during harvesting.