Michele Mendi

Medium-sized raptor, feeds chiefly on ground and marsh animals, in variety of species and sizes depending on local circumstances. Nominate aeruginosus: W and C Palearctic; harterti: Morocco to Tunisia. Strongly prefers shallow, standing, fresh or brackish waters with tall standing reeds Phragmites, reedmace Typha, and other dense emergent aquatic growth, without many or widespread trees. Population stable. Aeruginosus migratory in N and E to merely dispersive in S, harteri resident. N populations leapfrog over more S populations during migration (Panuccio et al. 2013).

Season of assessment

B

Population trendStable
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		303000-485000,380000
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for Western Marsh Harrier

Most movements NNE-SSW with some longitudinal connectivity and clockwise looping (Vansteelant et al. 2020); Birds from UK move to France, Iberia, Morocco, Mauritania; also E - W movement to Ireland, Germany and Low Countries. From Low Countries birds move through France, Iberia, NW Africa and Senegal to Ghana, few N Italy; also E - W to UK and Poland. Birds from C and E Europe more easterly route to SE France, E Spain and Italy, also Balkan, Greece, via Morocco to Lybia and Mauritania to Nigeria; also E - W to e.g. Low Countries. Birds of S Finland through Baltic, C Europe and N Italy, few in Greece, but also W route through Denmark, Spain, Morocco to Libya, Senegal to Chad. Birds from Russia reported in Israël. Adult males move longer, females and juveniles more often resident (Agostini et al. 2017).

Recoveries by Condition for Western Marsh Harrier

Until 1960 87% of the recoveries were dead birds, including 54% shot birds. From 1961 to 1990 83% concerned dead birds, including 16% shot birds. From 1991 45% concerned dead birds, 3% was shot.
19% of the recoveries was identified from wing tag.
The hunting hotspots were the Low Countries, France, N Italy and Spain. Also shot birds in the Baltic States, C Europe, NW Africa and few in the UK, Fennoscandia and Greece.

Annual Movements for Western Marsh Harrier

From Dec - Feb many birds in sub-Saharan Africa, also birds in NW Africa, UK and W, C and S Europe. In Mar most birds have left sub-Saharan Africa, more birds in NW Africa and W, C and S Europe. In Apr few birds in sub-Saharan Africa, also less in NW Africa and Iberian Pen., most birds arrived in W and C Europe and SE UK, first birds in S Finland. From May - Jul most birds are in NW and C Europe, S UK and S Finland, few birds in S and E Europe and France. In Aug numbers in France and S Europe increase, first birds arrive in NW Africa, still many in breeding areas. In Sep first birds arrive in sub-Saharan Africa, more birds in NW Africa, S Europe and France, less in the breeding areas. In Oct - Nov almost no birds in Finland, few birds in other breeding areas, more in sub-Saharan Africa.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Western Marsh Harrier

From UK birds are found in Ireland (Sep - Nov), W Europe (Aug - Dec, Apr), Germany (Oct), Iberia (Aug - Mar) and NW Africa (Oct - Dec, Apr) and Mauritania (Oct, Apr). From the Low Countries recoveries in the UK (Sep - Nov, May), France (Sep - Jan, Apr), Spain (Sep - Jan, Apr), N Italy (Apr - May), NW Africa (Sep - May), Mauritania to Guinea (Sep - May). Birds from C Europe are found in the UK (Aug - Sep, May), W Europe (Aug - Jan, Apr), Italy (Sep - Apr), Spain (Aug - Apr), NW Africa (Aug - May) and Mauritania to Nigeria (Aug - May). From S Finland and Denmark birds are found in W Europe (Aug - Sep, Mar - Apr), C Europe (Aug - (most) Apr), Italy (Sep - Apr), Spain (Sep - Feb), N Africa (Oct - Dec, Mar - Apr), sub-Saharan Africa (Oct - Apr).  Russian birds are found in Israël (Mar - May).

Henk van der Jeugd

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
Agostini, N., Panuccio, M., Pastorino, A., Sapir, N., Dell’Omo, G.2017 . Migration of the Western Marsh Harrier to the African wintering quarters along the Central Mediterranean flyway: a 5-year study. Avian Research 8 Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40657-017-0081-6)
Panuccio, M., Mellone, U., Mune, L.2013 . Differential wintering area selection in Eurasian Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus): a ringing recoveries analysis. Bird Study 60 Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2012.753399)
Vansteelant, W.M.G., Klaassen, R., Strandberg, R., Janssens, K., T´Jollyn, F., Bouten, W., Koks B.J., Anselin, A.2020 . Western Marsh Harriers Circus aeruginosus from nearby breeding areas migrate along comparable loops, but on contrasting schedules in the West African–Eurasian flyway. Journal of Ornithology 161 Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-020-01785-6) : 953–965

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