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Photo: Bart Hoekstra

Identification

Ringtail Harriers: Montagu's, Pallid & Hen

A photography-first walkthrough of the identification of ringtail harriers in Batumi. This identification presentation is currently in development.

Best experienced in full screen.

Photo selection: Marc Heetkamp, Elien Hoekstra, Valentin Cordes, Tohar Tal

Design & development: Bart Hoekstra

Have pictures taken in Batumi that would fit this presentation well? Email contact@batumiraptorcount.org. For feedback, contact bart.hoekstra@batumiraptorcount.org.

Rules of thumb

1) Not all MonPalHens can be identified

  • You need good conditions to assess plumage details: good light and close distance
  • Always combine multiple characteristics
  • The overall appearance or impression of a bird is not enough
2) First determine age & sex
3) Take pictures
4) Learn from the common species!
  • Montagu's at the start of the season, which gradually tilts towards Pallid throughout late September/October

General features

MonPalHens are elegant and slender birds of prey
A Montagu's Harrier (adult male) against a pale blue sky.
Photo: Bart Hoekstra
Pallid Harrier (juvenile) against a white overcast sky.

1

2

3

4

Photo: Marc Heetkamp
Montagu's Harrier (immature female) against a pale blue sky.
Photo: Marc Heetkamp

First determine age & sex

Start with figuring out whether you are looking at a juvenile, female or male bird.

Juvenile

Pallid Harrier (Juvenile) against a white overcast sky.
Photo: Marc Heetkamp

Female

Photo: Marc Heetkamp

Male

20220929t1636-marc-heetkamp-montagus-harrier-ad-m
Photo: Marc Heetkamp
A juvenile Pallid Harrier in flight.

Juveniles in autumn

Rufous/orange colored birds with no body streaking

Photo: Bart Hoekstra

Moult strategy

Juveniles

Both species retain fresh juvenile plumage through their first migration.

Life-calendar axis

  • 1st cy
  • 2nd cy
  • birth
  • Autumn migration
  • Winter quarters
  • Jan 1
  • Spring migration
  • Summer quarters

Moult comparison

Both species

  • Fresh plumage without signs of moult : Juvenile Montagu's and Pallid Harriers show fresh plumage without signs of moult.

Juveniles

Montagu's Harrier

A Montagu's Harrier (adult male) against a pale blue sky.
Photo: Marc Heetkamp

Pallid Harrier

A juvenile Pallid Harrier in flight.
Photo: Bart Hoekstra
Unrevealed bird identification question.

26-09-2022

Photo: Marc Heetkamp

Identify these birds as precisely as possible.

Unrevealed bird identification question.

28-09-2025

Photo: Marc Heetkamp
Unrevealed bird identification question.

18-09-2024

Photo: Bregt Desmet
Unrevealed bird identification question.

15-09-2021

Moult strategy

2cy Moult in winter quarters

Body-feather moult differs between the species, while the remiges remain juvenile.

Life-calendar axis

  • 1st cy
  • 2nd cy
  • birth
  • Autumn migration
  • Winter quarters
  • 1 Jan
  • Spring migration
  • Summer quarters
  • Autumn migration
  • 1 Jan

Moult comparison

Pallid Harrier

  • Hardly any body feathers moulted; no remiges moulted

Montagu's Harrier

  • More or less extensive moult of body feathers, but no moult of remiges

2cy Spring

Montagu's Harrier

10-05-2022Photo: Marc Heetkamp

Pallid Harrier

25-04-2022Photo: Marc Heetkamp

Immatures in autumn

Birds showing a mixture of juvenile- and adult-type feathers

Photo: Bart Hoekstra

Moult strategy

2cy Moult in summer quarters

By autumn, Pallid Harriers have replaced more flight feathers than Montagu's Harriers.

Life-calendar axis

  • 1st cy
  • 2nd cy
  • birth
  • Autumn migration
  • Winter quarters
  • 1 Jan
  • Spring migration
  • Summer quarters
  • Autumn migration
  • 1 Jan

Moult comparison

Pallid Harrier

  • Moult of all body feathers and remiges

Montagu's Harrier

  • Moult of body feathers, inner primaries and some secondaries

Immature (2cy) Autumn – Male

Montagu's Harrier

08-09-2023Photo: Marc Heetkamp

Pallid Harrier

30-09-2024Photo: Marc Heetkamp

Immature (2cy) Autumn – Male (same birds)

Montagu's Harrier

08-09-2023Photo: Marc Heetkamp

Pallid Harrier

30-09-2024Photo: Marc Heetkamp

Immature (2cy) Autumn – Female

An immature female Montagu's Harrier in flight.
19-08-2024Photo: Aris Vouros
An immature female Pallid Harrier in flight.
03-09-2024Photo: Valentin Cordes
Unrevealed bird identification question.

30-09-2024

Photo: Marc Heetkamp

Identify these birds as precisely as possible.

Unrevealed bird identification question.

17-08-2023

Photo: Tohar Tal

Moult strategy

Moult into adult plumage

The remaining juvenile feathers are replaced as the next complete moult begins.

Life-calendar axis

  • 1st cy
  • 2nd cy
  • 3rd cy
  • birth
  • Autumn migration
  • Winter quarters
  • 1 Jan
  • Spring migration
  • Summer quarters
  • Autumn migration
  • Winter quarters
  • 1 Jan
  • Spring migration
  • Summer quarters

Moult comparison

Pallid Harrier

  • Complete moult will start in spring

Montagu's Harrier

  • Moult of remaining juvenile feathers

Adult – Male

Montagu's Harrier

An adult male Montagu's Harrier in flight.
29-08-2016Photo: Bart Hoekstra

Pallid Harrier

20251005t0910-marc-heetkamp-pallid-harrier-ad-m
05-10-2025Photo: Marc Heetkamp

Adult – Male

Montagu's Harrier

An adult male Montagu's Harrier in flight.
25-08-2023Photo: Marc Heetkamp

Pallid Harrier

20221017t0849-marc-heetkamp-pallid-harrier-ad-m
05-10-2025Photo: Marc Heetkamp

Adult – Female

Montagu's Harrier

31-08-2023Photo: Marc Heetkamp

Pallid Harrier

14-10-2025Photo: Marc Heetkamp

Adult – Female

Montagu's Harrier

09-09-2023Photo: Marc Heetkamp

Pallid Harrier

07-10-2025Photo: Marc Heetkamp
Unrevealed bird identification question.

16-09-2024

Photo: Aris Vouros

Identify these birds as precisely as possible.

Unrevealed bird identification question.

03-09-2024

Photo: Marc Heetkamp
Unrevealed bird identification question.

04-09-2024

Photo: Matthew Sprangers
Unrevealed bird identification question.

07-10-2025

Photo: Marc Heetkamp
hen-harrier-male-marc-heetkamp-underwing

Hen Harrier

We record only several to several dozens of Hen Harriers during a typical season.

Photo: Marc Heetkamp

Hen Harrier – Females

Immature

Photo: Nikolina Bukovac

Adult

Photo: Marc Heetkamp

Hen Harrier – Males

Adult

A male Hen Harrier seen from above in flight.
Photo: Marc Heetkamp

Adult in spring

A male Hen Harrier in spring plumage seen from above in flight.
Photo: Tohar Tal

Hen Harrier – Juveniles

Photo: Bart Hoekstra
Photo: Bart Hoekstra
20180911-Pal-F-Ad-Far-BartHoekstra

Too far? Too fast? Too little light? Mixed characteristics?

In case of doubt: MonPalHen

A MonPalHen flying against ‘Big Momma’ · Photo: Bart Hoekstra

BRC protocol

Allowed combinations of age and sex classes (M = Male; F = Female; FC = Female-colored)

Montagu's Harrier

AgeSex
JuvNo Value
Non-juvM
ImmM
AdM
Non-juvF
ImmF
AdF

Pallid Harrier

AgeSex
JuvNo Value
Non-juvM
ImmM
AdM
Non-juvF
ImmF

MonPalHen

AgeSex
JuvNo Value
Non-juvF
Non-juvM
No ValueFC
Non-juvFC
season-montagus-harrier

Quiztime!

Try to identify each bird as precisely as possible: species, sex & age

Unrevealed bird identification question.

30-08-2021

Photo: Bart Hoekstra

Identify these birds as precisely as possible.

Unrevealed bird identification question.

26-08-2021

Photo: Bart Hoekstra
Unrevealed bird identification question.

16-09-2025

Photo: Wulf Behrend
Unrevealed bird identification question.

11-09-2018

Photo: Bart Hoekstra
Unrevealed bird identification question.

18-08-2021

Photo: Bart Hoekstra
Unrevealed bird identification question.

16-09-2025

Photo: Wulf Behrend
Unrevealed bird identification question.

26-08-2021

Photo: Bart Hoekstra
Unrevealed bird identification question.

21-09-2021

Photo: Bart Hoekstra
Unrevealed bird identification question.

04-09-2024

Photo: Marc Heetkamp
Unrevealed bird identification question.

15-08-2021

Photo: Bart Hoekstra
Unrevealed bird identification question.

14-10-2021

Photo: Bart Hoekstra
Unrevealed bird identification question.

29-08-2021

Photo: Bart Hoekstra
Unrevealed bird identification question.

18-08-2019

Photo: Bart Hoekstra
Unrevealed bird identification question.

01-10-2018

Photo: Tohar Tal
season-montagus-harrier

Practice, practice, practice.

Revisiting this presentation regularly will help you build confidence in identifying Montagu’s, Pallid and Hen Harriers in the Batumi bottleneck. It takes time, and telling them apart can feel excruciatingly frustrating at first — but don’t let the challenge overshadow the joy of watching their migration!

Photo: Bart Hoekstra

Finding your way with ringtail harriers?

We hope this presentation has helped you identifying them. A donation is a welcome way to support Batumi Raptor Count’s work. The quicker we reach our fundraising goals, the more time we have for other things — like making new identification presentations.

Make a donation

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