Montagu's Harrier
Montagu's HarrierMontagu's HarrierMontagu's HarrierMontagu's Harrier

Montagu's Harrier

Circus pygargus

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Sierra Nevada National Park
9 Verified sightings at Sierra Nevada National Park From 2019 to 2026
3,636 Verified sightings across all 48 parks From 2019 to 2026
May Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Montagu's Harrier

Montagu's harrier (Circus pygargus) is a species of harrier, a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It breeds in large open areas in the Palearctic and is migratory, wintering in Africa, the Indian subcontinent and parts of the Arabian Peninsula. Its common name commemorates the British naturalist George Montagu.

The first formal description of Montagu's harrier was by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758, in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae, under the binomial name Falco pygargus. The genus Circus was introduced by the French naturalist Bernard Germain de Lacépède in 1799. The genus name is derived from Ancient Greek. Circus is from kirkos, meaning "circle", referring to a bird of prey named for its circling flight (probably the hen harrier), and pygargus is Modern Latin derived from the Greek pugargos, from puge, meaning "rump", and argos, meaning "shining white". The species name was formerly used for the hen harrier before Montagu's was identified as a different species.

Sexual dimorphism is particularly apparent in the plumage of this species. Adult males are characterized by their overall pale grey plumage... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Sierra Nevada National Park

Western Marsh-Harrier
LC

Western Marsh-Harrier

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Circus aeruginosus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Hen Harrier
LC

Hen Harrier

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Circus cyaneus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Booted Eagle
LC

Booted Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hieraaetus pennatus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Griffon Vulture
LC

Griffon Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gyps fulvus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Common Buzzard
LC

Common Buzzard

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Buteo buteo

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Golden Eagle
LC

Golden Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aquila chrysaetos

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
LC

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Accipiter nisus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Short-toed Eagle
LC

Short-toed Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Circaetus gallicus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Black-winged Kite
LC

Black-winged Kite

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Elanus caeruleus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
European Honey-buzzard
LC

European Honey-buzzard

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pernis apivorus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Bearded Vulture
NT

Bearded Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gypaetus barbatus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Bonelli's Eagle
LC

Bonelli's Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aquila fasciata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
~20%
2 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~20%
3 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
4 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
5 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~10%
6 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
7 Cévennes National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
8 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
9 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
10 Camargue 🇫🇷 France
~10%
11 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~10%
12 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
13 Doñana National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
14 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
15 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
16 Białowieża National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
<5%
17 Monfragüe National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
18 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
19 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
20 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
<5%
21 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
22 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
23 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
24 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
25 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
26 Sierra de Guadarrama National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
27 Keoladeo National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
28 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
29 Sierra Nevada National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
30 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
31 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
32 Kanha National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
33 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
34 Ecrins National Park 🇫🇷 France
Insufficient data
35 Mercantour National Park 🇫🇷 France
Insufficient data
36 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
37 Bale Mountains National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
Insufficient data
38 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
39 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
40 Plitvice Lakes National Park 🇭🇷 Croatia
Insufficient data
41 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
42 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
43 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
44 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
Insufficient data
45 Bandhavgarh National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
46 Ranthambore National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
47 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
48 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Montagu's Harrier in Sierra Nevada National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Montagu's Harrier sighting in Sierra Nevada National Park, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Montagu's Harrier in Sierra Nevada National Park?

May has the highest sighting rate for Montagu's Harrier in Sierra Nevada National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Sierra Nevada National Park