Hawks and eagles
Hen Harrier
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Circus cyaneus
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Voice
Call
Benoît Van Hecke
How to recognize it
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Long narrow wings and tail; slow low flight over open ground
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Male grey above, white below, with black wingtips and a white rump patch
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Female larger, brown above, buff below with dark barring
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Juveniles and females often show the white rump most clearly
About the species
The Hen Harrier is a low-flying hunter of open ground, moving with long wings and a long tail held close to the land. In the field, the different looks of males and females stand out, especially when they drift just above grass or marsh.
It hunts in a calm, methodical way, sweeping an area while it watches and listens for movement below. Its call is sharp and noticeable, and in the breeding season the male adds dramatic aerial twists and drops.
It uses marshes, grasslands, bogs, heath, edges, and cut-over areas where there is room to hunt. Small rodents make up most of the diet, with amphibians, reptiles, insects, and some other small prey also taken. In many places it moves south for winter, though some populations stay year-round in milder regions.
Where to find
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On the edges of open lawns, vacant lots, and big meadows — watch for a grey-and-white male circling low and making broad, slow passes over the grass.
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Along canal banks, pond margins, or shallow lake shores with reeds — especially when a harrier slips just above the vegetation and vanishes into the long grass.
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On overgrown clearings and rough field edges with fence posts or old stumps — a female may sit upright on one of these lookouts, scanning for mice.
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In river valleys and wet meadows — early in the morning, look for the silent, ground-hugging flight as Hen Harrier glides almost level with the grass.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Circus cyaneus Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Hen harrier Encyclopedia article