Meadow Harrier Conservation. Summary of the 2025 season.

In 2025, eleven Meadow Harrier nests were recorded within the areas covered by the protection programme. Based on information provided by farmers regarding crop harvesting schedules, ornithologists secured six nests identified as being at real risk of destruction. Eleven chicks were ringed, allowing for further monitoring of their movements and assessment of the effectiveness of ongoing conservation measures.

Moreover, valuable feedback was obtained from rings of three Meadow Harriers that had been tagged in previous years. One male, ringed in the area of the Modlikowice Wind Farm in 2023, returned to the same breeding territory. Another bird, ringed in 2018, was recorded as a breeding individual in Germany, approximately 500 kilometres from its hatching site. The third bird, ringed in 2019, was observed in the Opole region, 170 kilometres from its natal nest. Such findings confirm the high effectiveness of the conservation efforts and the lasting positive impact of the programme on the species population.

The primary method of active protection involves installing a protective mesh enclosure around the nest. This safeguard protects young birds from agricultural machinery and predators. Additionally, the structure prevents nests from being flattened by heavy crops during intense rainfall.

The Meadow Harrier is a strictly protected species whose population in Poland still requires active support. Its breeding period often coincides with haymaking and cereal harvesting, making nests particularly vulnerable to destruction.

The Meadow Harrier protection programme is not only a valuable environmental initiative but also a testament to Polenergia Group’s responsible and long-term commitment to biodiversity preservation. Through consistent actions and a collaborative approach, the Group actively supports the restoration of the species’ population, contributing to the maintenance of ecosystem balance on both national and European scales.