Montagu's harrier is a summer migrant raptor that breeds in cereal fields across Europe and its welfare depends on farmer partnership schemes to protect nests during harvest.
Combine harvesting destroys nests containing eggs and chicks if not identified and fenced before harvest begins. Conservation programmes that identify nests and work with farmers to leave small unharvested patches around them have been highly effective. Migration exposes birds to hunting pressure in sub-Saharan Africa. Winter cereal expansion in some areas has benefited nesting opportunities.