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Northern Harrier

Circus cyaneus ORDER: ACCIPITRIFORMES FAMILY: ACCIPITRIDAE

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

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A long-winged, long-tailed hawk of open grassland and marshes, the Northern Harrier forages by flying slowly low above the ground looking for small rodents. It is one of the few raptors in which the sexes look quite different: the male is white below with a light gray back and hood, the female is mottled in browns.

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At a GlanceHelp

Measurements
Both Sexes
Length
18.1–19.7 in
46–50 cm
Wingspan
40.2–46.5 in
102–118 cm
Weight
10.6–26.5 oz
300–750 g
Other Names
  • Hen Harrier (British), Marsh Hawk
  • Busard Saint-Martin (French)
  • Aguilucho pálido, Gavilán rastrero, Gavilán sabanero (Spanish)

Cool Facts

  • Most male Northern Harriers are mated to one or two females at the same time. Some males pair with up to five mates in a season. Females incubate the eggs and brood the offspring, while the male provides the bulk of the food for his mates and their nestlings.
  • Unlike other hawks, the Northern Harrier relies on its hearing as well as its vision to capture prey. The feathers of the face are stiff to help transmit sound, and it shows a pronounced "facial disk," much like that of an owl.
  • The Northern Harrier feeds primarily on mice, other small mammals, and small birds. It will, however, take larger prey, such as rabbits and ducks. It has been known to subdue large prey by drowning it.

Habitat


Grassland

Open wetlands, meadows, pastures, prairies, grasslands, croplands, and riparian woodlands.

Food


Mammals

Small mammals, birds, reptiles, and frogs.

Nesting

Nesting Facts
Clutch Size
2–10 eggs
Egg Description
White and unspotted.
Condition at Hatching
Covered in white down, with eyes open.
Nest Description

Platform of vegetation placed on ground in open field or meadow.

Nest Placement

Ground

Behavior


Soaring

Hunts on wing, flying low over open habitats.

Conservation

status via IUCN

Least Concern

Populations declined in 20th century from loss of wetlands and changes in farming practices. Now stable or slightly declining in most areas.

Credits

  • MacWhirter, R. B., and K. L. Bildstein. 1996. Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus). In The Birds of North America, No. 210 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.

Range Map Help

Northern Harrier Range Map
View dynamic map of eBird sightings
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