Northern Harrier
Circus cyaneus

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Aves
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Circus

Audio for Species

Call
Song

from Macaulay Library

Species Related Links

Additional Northern Harrier Pictures

Description

Length: 18.1-19.7 in (46-50 cm) Weight: 10.6-26.5 oz (300-750 g) Wingspan: 40.2-46.5 in (102-118 cm)

A medium-sized hawk with long a tail and wings; both male and female have a white rump.

The male has a white belly, chest and leggings with with some burnt sienna markings. The head, back and upper chest are a light bluish-gray, the tail is slightly darker, with some barring and whitish underneath. The wings are blue-gray with black tips and a black line on the rear edge; the underside is white.

The famale's back, and upperside of wings are a dark burnt sienna, with some feathers edged with tawny and wings have a darker brown barring on upper and undersides, with the underside having white barring. The face is streaked with brown and white, and outlined with a white strand. The tail is brown with darker bars. Chest and belly are streaked white and topaz. Leggings are white with topaz spotting.

Habitat, Range, and Feeding

The Northern Harrier can be found in meadows, pastures, open wetlands and other treeless areas.

They nest in treeless fields, meadows, or wetlands within clumps of thick vegetation. The nests are platforms of reeds, grasses, and water plants; the lining is built solely by the female, but the male will usually start the nest building process. During the final stages the male passes the materials to the female by dropping it during aerial passes or with transfers on the ground near the nest, but the female does most of the collecting.

They feed on voles and mice mainly as well as other small mammals, reptiles, small birds and frogs. Sometimes taking on larger prey like rabbits and water fowl.